Acclaimed IAM member goes off on ACS at LAX

[737823]

Acclaimed IAM member Buzz Aldrin goes ballistic at Delta personnel in LAX after missing his flight (and seemingly expected the aircraft to return to the gate)

http://amp.tmz.com/2018/01/16/buzz-aldrin-delta-missed-flight-angry

I hope DL shows this to all their people, Buzz is often cited as an example of the IAMs more illustrious past when the union had “clout” and relevance.

Josh

 

[eolesen]

So what if he was an IAM member? Does that give DL an excuse to not deal with things in a timely manner?

 

[737823]

IAM leadership (and certain posters on here) have made a big deal about Buzz being an IAM member, and the IAM has tried multiple organizing efforts on the DL property including with the ACS personnel involved here. Watch the video, the agent was calm, collected and professional; if anything Buzz came across as entitled and arrogant. Why would an internal operational/dispatch tower communicate with a customer and share operational information?

How exactly did DL *NOT* deal with this in a timely manner? He was landside when the flight had already left the gate, presumably as a courtesy he was reaccomodated on the next available flight. According to the CofC DL would have been within their rights to have denied him boarding for his behavior.

And no I am not here to defend DL, I’m generally of the view they’re far too arrogant and cocky. That said they run a great operation and do a good job balancing the needs of all their stakeholders while providing a great product, good jobs with solid benefits for their employees and financial performance for investors.

Josh

 

[eolesen]

The redcoat was calm and collected. You don't know what happened with the agent prior to that, how long Aldrin was at the counter, or why he wasn't allowed to check-in and head to TSA.

Whatever happened, it was interesting enough for someone unrelated to Aldrin to start recording.

 

[lpbrian]

I didn't know astronauts were unionized.

 

[737823]

The redcoat was calm and collected. You don't know what happened with the agent prior to that, how long Aldrin was at the counter, or why he wasn't allowed to check-in and head to TSA.

Whatever happened, it was interesting enough for someone unrelated to Aldrin to start recording.

Obviously there are two sides to every story, I am just point here that the IAM has tried multiple times to gain momentum at DL and every time it has failed. And the most recent election numbers show the ACS vote was among the strongest against representation (I think the Simulator technicians, after the IAM contested and got a revote rendering them even less support was a stronger rejection).

I thought the agent was poised, professional, and handled the situation well. I am surprised DLto allowed a revenue customer to speak with internal departments

Josh

 

[eolesen]

Meh. It was a lame attempt at union bashing, Josh.

 

[southwind]

Whether it was union bashing or not, no one customer should be treated differently from another. No matter how important they personally think they are!

 

[737823]

Whether it was union bashing or not, no one customer should be treated differently from another. No matter how important they personally think they are!

Indeed but Southwind all Airlines do thinks like this for politicians and celebrities including rescinding confirmed seat assignments of another revenue customer to accommodate the desired seating of a regular celebrity customer. It is what it is, but I still don’t understand why the red coat allowed him to speak to the tower/ops dispatch particularly after this behavior. IMO if anyone else carried on this way they would and should be denied boarding (which is within the terms of the CofC particularly when behaving out of control like this)

Josh