Latest news with #passengerrights
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Southwest Passenger Says She Was Ejected From Flight Based on Her Race
A Black woman who was ejected from a Southwest Airlines flight in November said in a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday that she was targeted based on her race. The woman, Briana Hicks, a pharmacist from Chicago, boarded a Southwest flight from Chicago Midway International Airport to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 20 and sat in an exit row. When the flight attendant began briefing the passengers in the row about emergency procedures, Dr. Hicks put her phone on airplane mode and then placed it facedown in her lap, the lawsuit said. The flight attendant then singled her out for being on her phone and berated her repeatedly, the lawsuit claimed, and later demanded that she be removed from the aircraft when she reported his behavior to two other attendants. She was rebooked on a flight that landed in Washington four hours after her original arrival time, according to the lawsuit. The suit, filed in Chicago, said that the other passengers in the exit row appeared to be white and that one asked the flight attendant, who was also white, why he was pointing out the actions of the only Black passenger seated there, seeing as others in the exit row were on their phones and laptops as well. 'Being singled out for mistreatment based on my race was painful enough; enduring that discrimination on top of being publicly removed from a flight and having my entire travel schedule derailed was almost unbearable,' Dr. Hicks said in a statement. According to the lawsuit, Dr. Hicks was the only Black person sitting in the exit row. After loudly and repeatedly asking Dr. Hicks to put her phone away, the flight attendant was confronted by the white passenger, who informed him that Dr. Hicks was listening and had put her phone down. After the briefing, the attendant returned to the front of the plane, at which point Dr. Hicks went to the back of the plane to report what had happened to two flight attendants, who informed her they could not do anything about the other attendant's behavior, according to the lawsuit. When the attendant who had confronted Dr. Hicks called the back of the plane on the aircraft's internal telephone system, one of the flight attendants there informed him that Dr. Hicks was 'back here talking about the disrespect she experienced,' the lawsuit said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Furious Spirit Airlines passenger lashes out after being banned for her outfit: 'They treated me like a criminal'
A Spirit Airlines passenger claims she was banned from boarding a flight over the length of her shorts. Tanasia Grayer was stopped by gate agents at Miami International Airport on July 16 as she tried to board a Spirit flight bound for Chicago. The frustrated passenger claims she was wearing short athletic shorts, a cropped workout shirt and a fluffy pink robe as she tried to board the flight. 'She stopped me and said: "You're not getting on a plane like that",' Grayer told CBS News. 'So I looked at her and I said, "Like what?" She said, "With those shorts".' Tensions heightened even more when Grayer's sister Jessica Kordelewski became confrontational with airport security officials and screamed: 'I'm confused, this is crazy, this is insane'. Kordelewski was later arrested and accused of disorderly conduct and trespassing after being issued with a warning. She has since been released. Grayer claims the airline 'treated me like a criminal' for wearing what she describes as 'normal shorts'. Bur Spirit claims the traveler was 'not in compliance with our Contract of Carriage', which details clothing standards for all passengers, and 'refused to comply when provided an opportunity to do so'. The airline updated its Contract of Carriage policy in January this year, issuing stricter guidelines on what passengers can wear while onboard its aircraft. Guests will not be permitted on a flight and may be required to leave if they are 'barefoot or inadequately clothed'. The policy also bans clothing or body art that is 'lewd, obscene or offensive in nature'. Listed examples include see-through clothing that exposes breasts, buttocks or other sensitive areas. But Grayer insists her outfit did not violate the policy, telling CBS that she wore her robe so that her clothing was 'not too revealing'. She argued that a staff member 'should've told me' during the 40 minutes she spent in Miami airport. 'That way I could've went and changed my clothes to put anything else on,' she said. Grayer also claims that not only did she walk through the airport in the outfit without any incident, but also wore similar length shorts on her original flight to Miami. Spirit, in a statement to Daily Mail, said the sisters were 'denied boarding after displaying disruptive behavior'. 'We always want our Guests to feel welcome and have a great experience. Consistent with other US airlines, our Contract of Carriage contains certain clothing standards for all Guests traveling with us,' a Spirit spokesperson told Daily Mail. 'Our records show a Guest was not in compliance with our Contract of Carriage and refused to comply when provided an opportunity to do so. The Guest and their travel companion were eventually denied boarding after displaying disruptive behavior. Further questions should be directed to law enforcement.' The pair ended up flying home on another airline as Kordelewski is now on Spirit's 'no fly' list, according to reports. The sisters have also vowed that they 'won't be back in Miami at all'. Grayer claims in the future she will avoid wearing outfits resembling the one she wore in Miami just to ensure a similar issue does not arise.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Flight cancelled or delayed? These are your rights
You've packed your bags, planned your itinerary and booked your taxi to the to find out that your flight has been cancelled. So, what do you do now? The Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal of the Government of Canada, points out that it is up to the airline to accommodate you as soon as possible. 'In all situations, the airline must provide you with a new reservation on another flight if your original flight has been delayed for three hours or more, or if it has been cancelled,' states the organization's website. The CTA's mandate is to ensure that passenger rights across all modes of transportation are respected and protected. The terms and conditions of the replacement flight, according to Noovo Info, can differ depending on the reason behind the cancellation, and whether or not they are due to a complication caused by the airline. Can I get compensation? You may be entitled to compensation if your flight is delayed or cancelled and the situation is within the airline's control, such as a commercial decision or an avoidable technical problem. Events outside the company's control, such as adverse weather conditions, do not count. In addition, you can only get compensation if you find out about the cancellation or delay less than 14 days before your scheduled departure and you arrive at your destination more than three hours later than expected. Here is the compensation scale, according to the CTA, for major airlines: $400 if you arrive at your destination with a delay between three and six hours; $700 if you arrive at your destination with a delay between six and nine hours; $1,000 if you arrive at your destination with a delay of nine hours or more. If you choose a refund instead of rerouting, you are still eligible to receive $400. Examples of large airlines include Air Canada (including Jazz and Rouge), Air Transat, Flair Airlines and Porter Airlines. For smaller airlines: $125 if you arrive at your destination with a delay between three and six hours; $250 if you arrive at your destination with a delay between six and nine hours; $500 if you arrive at your destination with a delay of nine hours or more. If you choose a refund instead of rerouting, you are still eligible to receive $125. The size of your airline is indicated in the conditions of your ticket. You have one year to submit a claim for compensation due to a delay or cancellation, and the airline has 30 days to respond, either by making a payment or explaining its reason for refusal. Beyond compensation In addition to compensation, the Flight Claim platform points out that people can also be entitled to short-term assistance. This includes requesting refreshments and sufficient food depending on the wait time, two free telephone calls, telexes, faxes or e-mails, and hotel accommodation for one or more nights. Flight Claim adds that it is possible to ask for reimbursement for part of a journey not made, no longer required, or other such modifications to the original travel itinerary. What if I used a travel agent? Customers who employed travel agents licensed in Quebec can 'benefit from one of the best protections available' via the Compensation fund for customers of travel agents. Regulated by the Office of Customer Protection, the fund can reimburse travellers who are disappointed with the services they paid for. There are many scenarios covered under the fund, including severe bad weather, overbooking, natural disasters and political instability. Any tourist services purchased with a licenced travel agent are protected by the fund, including air tickets, bus transportation, hotel stays, cruises and excursions. This applies both to online purchases and those made directly with an agency. 'This is not the case when you book directly with the supplier, or when you buy from a travel agent outside Quebec,' the OPC stresses.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Spirit Passenger Claims She Was Denied Boarding Because of Her Shorts. The Airline Says It Was Her 'Behavior'
NEED TO KNOW A Spirit Airlines passenger claims she was denied boarding due to her shorts, the airline says it was her "disruptive behavior" Tanasia Grayer was trying to board a Chicago-bound flight from Miami on Wednesday, July 16, when the incident occurred Grayer's sister, Jessica Kordelewski, was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and trespassing after a warningA woman is claiming Spirit Airlines denied her from boarding a flight because of her shorts. The airline says it was her 'disruptive behavior' that caused the incident. According to CBS Miami, Tanasia Grayer planned to board a Chicago-bound flight from Miami International Airport on Wednesday, July 16. When she arrived at the gate, she claims Spirit personnel told her she wasn't allowed to board because of her outfit. 'We were getting ready to board the plane, and the lady at the front desk, she stopped me and said, 'You're not getting on a plane like that,'' Grayer told the outlet. 'So I looked at her and I said 'Like what?' She said, 'With those shorts.'' Grayer alleges she walked through the airport without anyone telling her to change. Wearing a pink robe overtop, she says her clothes were not revealing at all. 'They said that you can't have the bottom or your butt out,' she said. 'That's why this robe is on so that I'm not too revealing.' She added: 'I was in the airport for 40 minutes, y'all should've told me. That way I could've went and changed my clothes to put anything else on.' In a clip of the confrontation with airport authorities shared with CBS Miami, a woman in the background can be heard shouting 'I'm confused, this is crazy, this is insane.' Grayer said that was her sister, Jessica Kordelewski, who was arrested and accused of disorderly conduct and trespassing after a warning. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Spirit said their records show 'a guest was not in compliance with our Contract of Carriage and refused to comply when provided an opportunity to do so.' The statement says their Contact of Carriage contains certain clothing standards for all passengers. 'The guest and their travel companion were eventually denied boarding after displaying disruptive behavior," the statement read. 'I'm going home,' Kordelewski told CBS Miami after she was released from jail.'We are done with Miami, we ain't never coming here again,' Grayer added. According to the outlet, the sisters booked another flight with a different airline to get home. She explained she wouldn't wear the same outfit to avoid any troubles. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest to Spirit's Contract of Carriage, guests shall not be permitted on an aircraft and may be required to leave if they are 'barefoot or inadequately clothed,' or if their clothing or body art is considered 'lewd, obscene or offensive in nature.' Listed examples include see-through clothing exposing breasts, buttocks or other private parts. According to USA Today, the airline recently updated this policy in January 2025. Before, the contract did not specify clothing examples nor body art. Read the original article on People
Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- Khaleej Times
Video: Dubai-Kozhikode flight cancelled after passengers 'locked in' for 4 hours with no AC
Passengers onboard an Air India Express flight bound for Kozhikode were left sweltering inside the aircraft for over four hours on Friday morning, only to be told that the flight had been cancelled. Flight IX 346, scheduled to depart from Dubai at 9am, began boarding around 8.15am. But what followed, passengers said, was a prolonged and agonising wait on the tarmac with no air conditioning, no updates, and growing frustration. At 12.15pm, they were finally asked to disembark after being informed that the flight had been cancelled due to operational reasons. 'There was no air conditioning and it was extremely hot and uncomfortable the entire time,' said Anjali Mohan, a Dubai resident who shared videos from inside the aircraft with Khaleej Times. One clip shows passengers using safety cards to fan themselves, while others can be seen repeatedly adjusting air vents and overhead fans in a desperate attempt to cool down. Watch a video here: "We were just waiting, without any clarity on when this would end. I had to take emergency leave from work and miss an important function I had planned. I was already feeling weak, and sitting in those conditions for so long only made it worse.' She later updated Khaleej Times and said: 'They've (airline) finally decided to take us to a hotel. We're being told the next flight will only be at 3.40am (India time) tomorrow (July 19).' Another passenger, Ziyaf Mohamed, echoed her frustration. 'We were locked inside the aircraft since early morning, with barely any updates. The heat was unbearable and people were visibly uncomfortable,' he said. 'I had to miss an important work commitment. Many of us felt unwell. It was a terrible experience; we felt completely helpless and ignored.' As of 1pm, passengers had been taken back to the terminal. 'There's a huge crowd and no clarity,' said one passenger. 'Everyone's just waiting for answers.' Meanwhile, Air India Express flight IX 523 from Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi was also delayed for about 1.5 hours. The plane was supposed to take off at 1.15pm (India time) on Friday, but was moved to 2.40pm same day. The two delayed flights are the latest in a growing list of disruptions involving Air India Express. Just a day earlier (Thursday), the airline cancelled a Dubai-bound flight from Jaipur at the last minute, after passengers had waited for hours at the airport. Its incoming flight from Dubai to Jaipur also failed to operate due to a reported technical snag. Flight tracking data reviewed by Khaleej Times shows that the airline has cancelled more than 30 flights across sectors since mid-June, including repeated cancellations last month between Dubai and Lucknow over three consecutive days. Passengers have repeatedly complained about poor communication and lack of support during these disruptions. An email sent to Air India Express regarding a separate cancellation earlier this week is still awaiting a response, with the airline stating it would need at least a day to reply.
