Mom was left furious after Southwest Airlines staff mocked her daughter over her name in front of other passengers and even went as far as taking a picture of her boarding pass and sharing it on social media.
The 5-year-old girl’s mother, Traci Redford, explained how the staff made fun of her daughter’s name, Abcde, which is pronounced as ‘Ab-si-dee’, and pointed fingers at her and her daughter while laughing at them.
According to Traci, the gate agent also took a picture of her daughter’s boarding pass and shared it on social media, revealing the family’s private information without consent.
“The gate agent started laughing, pointing at me and my daughter, talking to other employees. So I turned around and said, ‘Hey, if I can hear you, my daughter can hear you, so I’d appreciate if you’d just stop,’” Traci told ABC News.
It wasn’t until after the incident, which took place as the pair was boarding the plane set to fly from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, to El Paso, Texas, that the mom found out her daughter wasn’t only mocked by the staff in person but also online.
In a statement forwarded to CNN, the Southwest Airlines spokesperson offered “sincere apology to the family.”
They also claimed that they “take great pride in extending our Southwest Hospitality to all of our Customers, which includes living by the Golden Rule and treating every individual with respect, in person or online.”
Additionally, the statement read: “We have followed up with the Employee involved, and while we do not disclose personnel actions publicly, we are using this as an opportunity to reinforce our policies and emphasize our expectations for all Employees.”
What are your thoughts on this incident and the staff’s reaction to the girl’s unconventional name? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to SHARE this post with your friends and family on Facebook!