Airline Says Photographing Staff Could Get You On ‘No Fly’ List
- Posted on August 1, 2011 at 2:56pm by
Christopher Santarelli
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Universal customer service standards usually dictate that when you are frustrated with customer service, you have the right to report the individual to his or her supervisor. You can usually do this by getting the name, badge number, or even a photograph of the representative with whom you are dissatisfied. United Airlines, however, now says you have no such right to photograph their representatives under law, a decree that even the TSA reportedly finds laughable.
The Consumerist recently published the experiences of a reader who was flying from Houston to Costa Rica. After dealing with a particularly unhelpful representative, she snapped a photo. After the incident, however, the representative told her that she would be arrested by police and “you will never fly my airline again” if she did not delete the picture:
“A minute later, we noticed [the employee] chasing us across the lobby. She demanded that I hand over my camera phone so that she could delete the photo I took. I politely refused. She then insisted that I delete the photo while she watched. I again refused. She then informed me that if I didn’t delete the photo in her presence, she would call the Houston Police Department, have be arrested, put me on the ‘no-fly list‘ and ’make me miss my fancy Costa Rica vacation.’ She stated, ‘you will never fly my airline again.’ I asked her what law she was talking about and she replied, ‘My law.’”
The writer goes on to explain she deleted the photo to end the ordeal which was bringing her daughter to tears, but shortly after leaving the understaffed baggage line she told the events to a TSA agent nearby:
“I deleted the photo and [the staffer] smirked at us and walked away. When we asked a TSA agent about it, she laughed, ‘of course it’s not illegal.’”
The airliner who employes the representative is the newly-merged United/Continental Airlines. Upon returning home from her vacation the the woman sent complaints to both United and Continental, receiving different reactions. Reactions that are surprising and contradictory.
Continental quickly responded offering apologies and stating that “the behavior you described is not reflective of our commitment to providing customers the highest level of service.” Two weeks later, however, United responded with a different reaction, citing its own policy:
“Unauthorized photography, audio, or video recording of airline personnel, aircraft equipment, or procedures is always prohibited. Any voice, audio, video, or other photography (motion or still), recording, or transmission while on any United Airlines aircraft or in the terminal is strictly prohibited, except to the extent specifically permitted by United Airlines.
Insistence on violating any one of these prohibitions could lead to arrest or being placed on the ‘no-fly list’.”
The TSA does not prohibit photographs at screening locations, but that can be superseded by local laws, state statutes, or local ordinances. It doesn’t say anything about specific airline policy.
This isn’t the first time in recent memory that a passenger has faced scrutiny for photographing an airline employee. A woman was allegedly kicked off a U.S. Airways flight about to leave Philadelphia last month for photographing a rude employee. That woman alleges the representative got revenge by dubbing her a “security risk.”
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Comments (120)
romadave
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:44pmUnfortunately for some of us, the major airlines have huge contracts that guarantee they get business. It is called a ‘city-pair’ and is the bane of all federal employees. United, American, Southwest, all the biggies bid on routes from one city to another. If they have the low bid, then for that fiscal year, the gvt forces all employees who fly to use that airline. There is no way around it.
So the gvt spreads the wealth around to all the different airlines, basically making sure they stay in business for the year.
However, since this was leisure travel, I would have asked to be placed on a different carrier and paid the difference in cost.
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 6:00pmCreepy taking photo of anyone I don’t know! IMO!
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 6:32pmwhat do you guys expect ???
Report Post »http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1326922/
tower7femacamp
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 6:33pmThis should come as no surprise anymore, but your email isn’t private. In fact, it’s one of the least secure methods of communication you can use. In contrast, phone calls typically aren’t recorded and stored, and even if they were, your employer and law enforcement would have to go to court to gain access to them.
Emails are stored at multiple locations: on the sender’s computer, your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) server, and on the receiver’s computer. Deleting an email from your inbox doesn‘t mean there aren’t multiple other copies still out there. Emails are also vastly easier for employers and law enforcement to access than phone records. Finally, due to their digital nature, they can be stored for very long periods of time, so think twice before writing something down in an email you don’t want others to see.
The Fourth Amendment, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Patriot Act
Email privacy is derived from the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and is governed by the “reasonable expectation of privacy” standard. Unfortunately, given the open nature of email mentioned above (passing through several computers and stored at multiple locations), the expectation of privacy may be less for email, especially email at work, than for other forms of communication.
Emails are also governed by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Patriot Act. Although the ECPA originally set up protections (such as a warran
Report Post »mharry860
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 9:21pmWe must have got lucky when we went to Hawaii several years ago. We had cheap seats mostly seated near their stations and had great conversations on all 3 flights to get there. Every flight we were given extra sandwiches to take with us. We didn’t buy lunch for our entire week in Hawaii.
Report Post »RRFlyer
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:06amWhy are there so many Racists comments on the Blaze? Are you all posers trying to make conservatives look bad? or are you really conservative racists and proving the liberals are really right?
Report Post »Stop with the stupid racist remarks
corbecket
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 3:52pmI’m calling BS on this one.
United’s response was a lie. There is no such law, or even policy, requiring prior approval to take pictures in an airport public area (excluding TSA operations). An individual may take as many pictures as they wish in an airport. Do you think that you have to get “prior permission” to take a picture of a United aircraft? The answer is a resounding NO.
As to putting you on a no-fly list for taking a picture, the agent is putting her employer at risk of a lawsuit. Of course, I’m calling BS on the agent as well.
The Continental letter was correct. The United letter was an example of making things up as they go along.
Oh. My qualifications? I’m an airliner driver of some 30 years.
Report Post »Secret Squirrel
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 8:39pmIf you are in public, don’t be surprised there is a camera around.
Report Post »Doesn’t matter if you are a Canton cop or a United employee,
‘Be proud of your behavior.
ConservativeMomofFour
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:45pmThis is what happens when the big corporations eat up the free market, capitalist, mom an pop corporations. You get NO choice, No freedom to choose. The public does not have the choice to say hey I don’t like your service…so I will not patronize your business anymore, there is no free market justice, because the gov. comes in an bails them all out!!!! Remember the days when you had a choice between different phone companies, electric companies, cable companies, water companies, etc. welcome to government corporations. R.I.P. mom an pop corporations, that gave a crap about customer service but most importantly your opinion.
Report Post »1_Smoot_Tall
Posted on August 2, 2011 at 10:51pmThe airport has cameras, right? So there is no reasonable expectation of privacy in the airport other than restrooms and private offices. PLUS: Passengers can be GROPED but the agent cannot be photographed? There is no sense of proportion.
Freedom-lovers should be ready to play hard-ball with these people:
i.e.: If she put “Bob” on the “no-fly list”, then “Bob” should name her as his best friend, associate, confidante and “inside operative” then “Bob” should send her a legal-but-suspiciously-difficult-to-explain package at work and see how long before SHE’S on the “no-fly list”.
Two can play at that game. Take the country back by beating them at their own game!
Report Post »Wurlitzer28
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:44pmSome day people will wise up to the airlines.
It would only take a minimal boycott of all airlines to bring them to their knees and you would find friendlier airlines popping up.
I went from 120 flights per year on an average over 26 years to 1 in the last 5 years. I drive everywhere and I enjoy it. I don’t have some prancing trolley dolly on a power trip telling me when I can and cannot take a leak.
While I am retired now, (1 year), I still drove everywhere for work so it can be done and if you keep feeding the beast with your money don’t bitch to me that the service sucks.
If I take a low number of $250 per flight (most of mine were over that) for my last 5 years working times 120 equates to about $120,000 the airlines have lost to ONE customer because they and the TSA suck.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 5:37pmI agree. You’ll NEVER catch me in a plane. My husband has to get from Dallas to the Mexican border occasionally for his job. He flew once a few years back, didn’t want to carry trial size liquids so he and his buddy drove from then on. These employees obviously don’t want to be reported for bad behavior. It’s getting like the DMV….we don’t have to be nice to you because you HAVE to come to us.
Report Post »Marci
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 9:31pmYes Wurl and Lori—we are getting back to the old ways of airlines having that message. I remember in the 80′s, they treated you like dirt and you had no recourse. Customer service calls and letters netted nothing. We are getting back to that. Had one angry flight attendant on one of our flights recently—practically throwing your drink at you and definitely TOSSING your snack/food at you, despite the fact you had to purchase each of these. She was ticked off at the world and went through the aisles snarking and sniping at people she deemed to not be sitting correctly, holding a purse, etc. I have no problem with them adhering to FAA guidelines, but I’ll be damned if I am going to be condemned to put up with them in a tube in the air at 30,000 feet with no way out.
Report Post »felix
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:36pmwhat do you expect from dictator obamas own S.S. !
Report Post »robert
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:51pmWhether I’m on a no fly list or not is a moot point, because I don’t ever intend to fly again….EVER. There‘s no way I’m going to be sujected to the groping of these Gestapo punks.
What I can’t reach by auto I can get to by boat or train. If those modes of transportation become infested with police state Marxists then it will be just auto travel for me.
I think we’ll erupt into civil war before that occurs, however.
Report Post »newt
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 4:02pmwhat in world does obama have to do with this?
Report Post »claymoremacm
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:28pmCan’t wait till the TSA is patroling the interstates
Report Post »rockstone
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 4:14pmDon’t worry. If you stay on the highways close to Mexico you won’t be anywhere near a fed.
Unless, of course, you want to buy some guns……..
Report Post »Jack2011
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:28pmUse your cell phone camera and email the photo around the world.
THAT would wipe the smirk off the sky waitresses face.
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:47pmExactly what I’ve been telling people for months.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 4:36pmAt Jack2011
-Use your cell phone camera and email the photo around the world.
-THAT would wipe the smirk off the sky waitresses face
They could still get revenge.
KLINGON Proverb: Revenge is best served cold.
1. Take picture of rude employee for identification purposes (They wear generic badges for protection, but also obfuscation).
2. Quickly email or transfer said picture, while walking away or have someone run interference.
3. Delete picture at the behest of said employee/VOGON.
4. Watch with satisfaction as said employee is still caught by the short hairs.
5. Would work better with a videotaping of Vogon behavior. that would get them fired.
Report Post »ILConservative
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 5:39pmThere is a program you can use to retrieve deleted photos. I forget what it’s called, but I’ve used it before. A quick search will come up with several programs to do this!
Report Post »hamanns
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 6:27pmEven erased photo can be recovered! I would make effort to recover photo and post it on Internet under “Lousy service” or “Unhappy traveler”.
Report Post »How many times have you seen videos from incidents, and shuffle in the airplaines lately? Almost weekly. So, I want all those people on the “no-fly list” Right? Is it me or certain pigmented people are really arogant lately?
barrycooper
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:27pmThis is the precise reason free markets are so valuable. United does not operate for any reason but to earn a profit, and cannot earn a profit by any means but by making themselves more attractive than their competition. The advantages, if any, that accrue from a “no photography” policy benefit only workers there, and categorically NOT the people they need in order to stay in business.
The lesson here is simple: fly some other airline. I always fly Southwest, given a choice.
And ponder what it must have been like to endure, as an example, the Soviet era airline Aeroflot, who were not paid according to their worth, and not fired when they were patently incompetent and rude. And you had no other choice if you wanted to fly to and around the Soviet Union.
United stock may well take an instant hit from this. If they respond like this from a high corporate level, they are governed by incompetents, and that fact will show in their profit/loss statements soon.
Report Post »Jack2011
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:26pmThese glorified sky waitresses act more like thugs everyday.
There job is SIMPLE. Open the doors (if the passenger who sits in the door isle doesn’t) and help passengers off a plane in the event of a crash and hand out snacks/drinks.
A monkey can be a sky waitress.
Yet now they think they are like the police who arrest and beat the public for taking videos of them also.
The PUBLIC should be allowed to video tape these glorified sky waitresses IN ACTION as they bully and thug their way through the planes.
The PUBLIC should force airlines to videotape the ENTIRE LUGGAGE ROUTE from conveyer belt to the belly of the ship to SEE which of the TSA thugs are stealing.
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:25pmAt that point – EVERYONE within shouting distance should have all come over and taken her picture.
She can’t tell 200 people to “Delete her photo”
If she did – they should have all given her the “HEIL HITLER”
Report Post »Jack2011
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:41pmEXCELLENT suggestion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »h158x
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:23pmUnited Airlines…you’re now permanently on MY no fly list.
Report Post »orkydorky
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:23pmShe should have been arrested for assault, thanks to the unions most of these workers are rude and obnoxious and could care less about their customers. A no-fly list would have been fine with me!
Report Post »Tundra4x4
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:20pmDoesn’t UNITED break guitars too?
Maybe they should be added to the public’s “NO FLY WITH” list!
Report Post »Jack2011
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 7:47pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
Report Post »United Breaks Guitars
Secessionista
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:18pmThe TSA is very un-green – they are making people drive their cars a LOT more. I wonder if that makes the liberal heads spin in Washington?
Report Post »Pigfarmer
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:16pmBull… King Obama not in charge… He got the Soros Falace up his back side… Spooky Dud in charge….. Watch out america… Soros wants his Falace up the American back side….. and he wn t be doin the reach around…
Oh baby… oh baby… my a$$….. Seal team 6… Lock and load… Soros more a danger than lauden ever dreamed of bein
Report Post »Jim
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 4:30pmThat might makes sense…if it made sense.
Report Post »USALakota
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 8:21pmAmen! You are so right.
Report Post »texasfarmer
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:15pmHaven’t flown for years and not about to start.
Report Post »USALakota
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 8:25pmI am with you. I won’t give them the time of day. I would rather not go somewhere than to get on these airlines and let the TSA infringed on my rights. I rather piss off the enviro wacko’s and burn plenty of gas in my SUV.
Report Post »turbo427
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:14pmGreat we can be filmed every possible way in the streets in the airport even naked photos by tsa but if we try to photograph them in defense we can be jailed great more rights gone said my country is disappearing before my eyes
Report Post »vtxphantom
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:14pmGrowing fascism. The more we let them get away with unamerican ideas, the more liberties we will lose. We must get rid of these brown shirts.
Report Post »B_rad
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:13pmI’d have demanded her supervisor on the spot. Of course they have you over a barrel because you want to make your flight without being threatened with losing your ability to make your destination. These people have us where they want us and they know it. Abuse of this kind needs to stop. Hopefully enough people make a stink about this crap that the airlines start losing business. That will be the only way to reach them.
Report Post »caexpat
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:11pmSTOP flying you fools….No passengers no money, no airline…..There broke that’s how you fight them
Report Post »USALakota
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 8:29pmI so agreed. If people would do this with alot of these companies they might get the message. I am an retired GE employee and I would give them one cent along with these airlines too name a few.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:10pmsimple way to deal with this
open up a direct download program so every video and picture you take is automatically uploaded to a online inbox it is all automatic and immediate
then that rude and ignorant public SERVANT can whine all they want and recieve the same false security you have yourself when you tell them you deleted it
then post it all over the web and send it to their boss
every picture i take is automatically saved somewhere other than my phone ……………..that way the police and people that dont want evidence to be kept cant get rid of it ……….even if they confiscate the phone
Report Post »troopsupporter
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:21pmGreat Idea! How does one do this?
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:49pmSame thing I’ve been telling people for months. They can make you delete all the pictures/video they want. Too bad, so sad for the airport thugs – those pictures are already stored somewhere else – with a trail. No way to say “those are fake”.
Report Post »Bullcop34
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 5:02pmPictures taken are your private property and unless they have a warrant, they can ask all they want. Even with a warrant, they can’t confiscate your phone because there is no crime, only a violation of the policy of the airlines, not a federal or state statute(depending on the state but if it isn’t your state you can claim Mistake of law which is basically asking for a mulligan). Cops can’t enforce corporate rules, only laws. Learn your rights! Tell them to go pound sand!
Report Post »ZAP
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:09pmNo flying for me!!!! WAKE-UP PEOPLE !
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:06pmand ya wonder why people are not liking anything the government touches
Report Post »J.C. McGlynn
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:04pmMy law says I can have that airline employee arrested for unlawful restraint and attempted kidnapping.
Report Post »UlyssesP
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:13pmTake more pictures of her asking to delete the first picture…
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:02pmLet’s see…the airline workers are unionized, the TSA is unionized. And the airport police are unionized.
Report Post »So under the rule of king obama, it’s possible that soon, only leftists will be allowed to fly the unfriendly skies.
Rob
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:02pmThey already beat me… I stopped flying. No more, no fun, no freedom.
Report Post »saviorammo
Posted on August 1, 2011 at 3:01pmNext time, zippy tie the biiatch and make a citizens arrest. Then sue the worst airline in history.
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