Don't make this guy angry!

[737 Pylt]

Delta Employee Suspended After Altercation with Passenger
Last Edited: Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 10:32 PM EDT
Created: Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 10:32 PM EDT
Delta Agent Suspended Reported By: Tony Thomas

ATLANTA (FOX 5) – A Delta ticket agent has been suspended for punching a passenger and now Agent Russell Bryson is threatening to sue the Atlanta-based airline if they don't allow him to return to work.

Bryson was suspended from his job as a ticket agent at Delta last month. According to Bryson, as passengers prepared to board an evening flight to Boston, one of the passengers, Manuel Bustamante became angry because he wasn't allowed in first class and then became abusive after repeatedly being told to sit down.

"He says to me if he had a bat, he'd bash my head in," said Bryson.

Bryson said that was when he and other agents told Bustamante he couldn't fly.

"This drunk gentleman spit in my face," said Bryson. He went on to say, "He reached his hand like he was going to swing at me. I moved to my left and swung with my right and I hit him and as he fell down, he tried to get back up and I hit him again."

Atlanta police arrested Bustamante for simple assault and blood still soaked his shirt hours later when he was booked into jail.

Bryson thought the incident was behind him, until he returned to work after vacation and was told to go home. Bryson said he now believes he is being fired for the striking the passenger.

A Delta spokeswoman told FOX 5 News that Bryson has been suspended while an internal investigation is conducted.

Bryson said he was going to fight to get his job back.

"I spent the better part of 12 years working my way up at Delta and now it's gone just like that. I'm not happy at all," he said.

 

[milplt]

If this is true as written, just another case of us trying to breed self-defense out of our society. Apparantly there were witnesses backing his story, as the police arrested only the passenger.

 

[ivauir]

If someone spits on me I guess I'm going to jail ...

 

[V2plus25]

Thank God boxes and cans won't spit!

I can't blame this gate agent one bit.

 

[MD11Drvr]

My father retired from the counter at Delta after 32 years. I have no idea how he did not loose his mind. I watch pax today and am amazed how people treat each other. Thats not to say I have'nt met a few gate agents that could use some simple lessons in customer service as well. I am thankful for the flight deck door........

 

[Palomino]

My father retired from the counter at Delta after 32 years. I have no idea how he did not loose his mind.

sorry...i just had to do it

kudos to your Pops. Delta was a fine airline during his time. now it's just like the rest of us trying to get by.

 

[MD11Drvr]

sorry...i just had to do it

kudos to your Pops. Delta was a fine airline during his time. now it's just like the rest of us trying to get by.

Two things:

Yes you are right when he started with Delta in 1962 it was and for many years a great place to work. He still bleeds Delta colors and misses the work and the people.

If I were smart enough to be a better speller do you think I would have chosen flying as a career? Too nervous to steal, Too lazy to work and a charter member of the broad back, weak mind club. I was born to be a pilot!

 

[Kharma Police]

Delta Employee Suspended After Altercation with Passenger
Last Edited: Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 10:32 PM EDT
Created: Wednesday, 02 May 2007, 10:32 PM EDT
Delta Agent Suspended Reported By: Tony Thomas

ATLANTA (FOX 5) – A Delta ticket agent has been suspended for punching a passenger and now Agent Russell Bryson is threatening to sue the Atlanta-based airline if they don't allow him to return to work.

Bryson was suspended from his job as a ticket agent at Delta last month. According to Bryson, as passengers prepared to board an evening flight to Boston, one of the passengers, Manuel Bustamante became angry because he wasn't allowed in first class and then became abusive after repeatedly being told to sit down.

"He says to me if he had a bat, he'd bash my head in," said Bryson.

Bryson said that was when he and other agents told Bustamante he couldn't fly.

"This drunk gentleman spit in my face," said Bryson. He went on to say, "He reached his hand like he was going to swing at me. I moved to my left and swung with my right and I hit him and as he fell down, he tried to get back up and I hit him again."

Atlanta police arrested Bustamante for simple assault and blood still soaked his shirt hours later when he was booked into jail.

Bryson thought the incident was behind him, until he returned to work after vacation and was told to go home. Bryson said he now believes he is being fired for the striking the passenger.

A Delta spokeswoman told FOX 5 News that Bryson has been suspended while an internal investigation is conducted.

Bryson said he was going to fight to get his job back.

"I spent the better part of 12 years working my way up at Delta and now it's gone just like that. I'm not happy at all," he said.

He had a right to defend himself. Let the dust settle then give him his job back. Delta was always a classy airline, unfortunately the class and manners of the traveling public has diminished.

 

[Fins Up]

Sounds like the agent is jumping the gun a little. It's not "all gone just like that" if it's just under investigation by the company.

 

[AA717driver]

Sounds like the agent is jumping the gun a little. It's not "all gone just like that" if it's just under investigation by the company.

Depends if he's off with pay. If he's off without pay, he's fired...TC

P.S.--This is what we've become--a society that punishes people for defending themselves.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Over the years there have been several incidents involving tickets agents. The smart ones call the police early, or simply walk away.

There was an incident here in the South where a Dr. was trying to change his iteniary to add his vacation destination while sending the bill to the college (his employer) as a business expense on DL. The agent walked away when the Dr. started screaming. The Police showed up, the Dr. poked the officer in the chest and immediately got arrested. The Dr.'s wife came out of the bathroom, saw her husband being drug away in handcuffs and she jumped the COPs.

Long story short, the whole family got a tour of Lexington from the squad car and a free night with institutional scrambled eggs in the morning. The DL Agent simply returned to his post and wrote the event up in the passenger's Frequent Flyer account.

Herb Kelleher wrote the best response ever to a passenger's complaint letter...
"We will miss you. Don't fly on SouthWest again."

 

[MD11Drvr]

Over the years there have been several incidents involving tickets agents. The smart ones call the police early, or simply walk away.

There was an incident here in the South where a Dr. was trying to change his iteniary to add his vacation destination while sending the bill to the college (his employer) as a business expense on DL. The agent walked away when the Dr. started screaming. The Police showed up, the Dr. poked the officer in the chest and immediately got arrested. The Dr.'s wife came out of the bathroom, saw her husband being drug away in handcuffs and she jumped the COPs.

Long story short, the whole family got a tour of Lexington from the squad car and a free night with institutional scrambled eggs in the morning. The DL Agent simply returned to his post and wrote the event up in the passenger's Frequent Flyer account.

Herb Kelleher wrote the best response ever to a passenger's complaint letter...
"We will miss you. Don't fly on SouthWest again."

While I agree 100% walking away would be the best thing. In this case it appears the agent was trying to clear a flight and more than likely with limited help as DAL (and other airlines) has been working ground folks short to save money. As an employee in any business you must have the right to defend yourself. The right to defend yourself should not be infringed upon just to keep the corporate lawyers happy. He could have (should have) called the police to the gate, but in either case he should not be punished for defending himself especially with witnesses to back his story.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Walk away???

Last time I checked there wasn't a lot of room in the jetbridge, unlike your gate example. If a guy spits on you, he has already committed 5th degree assault in some states. If he takes a swing at you in a confined space I believe you have the right to defend yourself. Personally I would have tried to block his advance instead of punching him, but I wasn't there.

 

[NAAPilot]

Maybe a few more incidents like this and passengers will learn how to treat airline employees with courtesy and respect. Im on the gate agents side and would have done the same thing if I were in his shoes.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Walk away???

Last time I checked there wasn't a lot of room in the jetbridge, unlike your gate example. If a guy spits on you, he has already committed 5th degree assault in some states. If he takes a swing at you in a confined space I believe you have the right to defend yourself.

You do have a right to defend yourself. It is unlikely that a individual would be charged with a crime.

However, Delta is held to a much different legal standard. The customer is an invitee on Delta's business premises and Delta is held to the highest standard as a common carrier. If "Delta" could forsee that their actions, or omissions, could in any way be responsible for any injury, embarassment, or harm, the passenger would have a viable cause of action against Delta. Defending even simple passenger cases costs anywhere from $25,000 to $80,000 and up.

Now, if you put this altercation in front of a jury - who knows what the outcome would be? We do know the outcome would be thousands in defense costs and most airlines have a significant self insured retention, so it is not like the costs of defense are simply passed along to the airline's insurer.

I happen not to like US Air / AmWest. If I were on a jury with AmWest as a defendant, would I be completely impartial?

The way I see it, Delta has no choice but to re-assign this Agent, or let him go. If there was another altercation a Plaintiff would use the prior incident as a basis to conclude that the Agent had a problem and Delta had prior notice. The Agent (right or wrong) has become a walking, talking, liability exposure for Delta.

Very unfortunate for all involved.

 

[Dude]

This country is full of pu$$ies! I would have beat his ass. His first stop would have been the hospital followed by the jailhouse.

The agent should be celebrated for refusing to be a victim of political correctness and defending himself appropriately. He deserves a raise and a bumper sticker.


Fins,

What? How screwed up are we that we reassign someone based on these circumstances. I would understand if the employee had something to do with the altercation, but the customer had ALL of the control. The employee simply reacted and now he's going to be removed entirely or reaasigned? What if I get carjacked and shoot the perp with my concealed handgun. Should I have my car taken away from me because I refuse to be a victim? No. I know where you are going and sadly the lieyers in this world make us walk around with a guarded trigger.

 

[Palomino]

Two things:

Yes you are right when he started with Delta in 1962 it was and for many years a great place to work. He still bleeds Delta colors and misses the work and the people.

If I were smart enough to be a better speller do you think I would have chosen flying as a career? Too nervous to steal, Too lazy to work and a charter member of the broad back, weak mind club. I was born to be a pilot!

can i join that club? i meet all the criteria.

 

[Morning Wood]

Do you all remember the Continental agent in EWR that was body slammed and ended injured pretty bad? The agent sued and the passenger was found not guilty. If they know they can get away with it, more agents throwing punches is just going to get the passenger a lot of money.

 

[Vastly Underemp]

(tongue firmly in cheek!)


Last time I checked there wasn't a lot of room in the jetbridge, unlike your gate example. If a guy spits on you, he has already committed 5th degree assault in some states. If he takes a swing at you in a confined space I believe you have the right to defend yourself. Personally I would have tried to block his advance instead of punching him, but I wasn't there


Holy Crap, a Drunkirishman condoning fleeing from a fistfight??? What's the world coming to??????

 

[EMB170Pilot]

(tongue firmly in cheek!)


Last time I checked there wasn't a lot of room in the jetbridge, unlike your gate example. If a guy spits on you, he has already committed 5th degree assault in some states. If he takes a swing at you in a confined space I believe you have the right to defend yourself. Personally I would have tried to block his advance instead of punching him, but I wasn't there


Holy Crap, a Drunkirishman condoning fleeing from a fistfight??? What's the world coming to??????

hahaha

 

[Midnight Flyer]

I knew an gate agent back when I worked for a commuter airline. Same type of deal-one of these jerk passengers verbally assaulted him and also threatened him. According to the agent, during his break, he walks downstairs to the bagroom and finds the passengers bag, broke into it and pi$$ed in it.

 

[Skywriter70]

State of Texas

In the state of Texas, spitting into another's face is a class B misdemeanor due to the fact that you could have a disease.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Holy Crap, a Drunkirishman condoning fleeing from a fistfight??? What's the world coming to??????

LOL!!