A video posted Wednesday on X shows employees behind the Frontier Airlines check-in counter at Raleigh-Durham International Airport mocking a traveler.
The video posted on X is from the account "Unlimited L's," which claims to be a "source for political news, crimes and social injustice."
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The story was picked up by the New York Post, which reports the traveler was a 45-year-old father of three traveling home to Boston after a business trip in Raleigh. The man is not seen in the video and told the Post that he did not want to be named.
According to the New York Post, the man arrived at RDU only 50 minutes before his flight, too late to check in at the electronic kiosk. The Post reports the man was surprised by a $25 "agent assist fee" when he tried to check in at the counter. The man reportedly muttered, "I’m never flying this s***** airline again” after being hit with the unexpected $25 fee.
In the video, the man claims the agents wouldn't let him check in at the counter, even though he already had a plane ticket and eventually agreed to pay the fee.
In the video, which was captured from the traveler's phone, a staff member wearing a Frontier Airlines sweatshirt can be seen filming the encounter and mocking the man.
The man can be heard saying, "I paid for a ticket ... I'm here 30 minutes before my flight and they're not letting me check in."
In the video, the man repeatedly tells the agent he would pay the $25, but the woman behind the counter appears to mimic the man with her fingers and mock him saying, "And you thought you were getting on your flight … You think, 'You're gonna check me in.’ I bet you we won't."
Another coworker starts filming as well, at times laughing at the encounter and saying, "We don't need to worry about it."
When the woman refuses to help the man and asks him to get out of her "personal space," the customer answers, "You're literally not doing your job for a customer that has paid for a plane ticket to get home."
WRAL News reached out to Frontier for a statement, asking more about the video and the woman seen mocking the man.
Frontier replied: "We are aware of what occurred and have been directly in touch with the customer. The individuals in question, who work for a third party contractor, are no longer associated with the Frontier account."
WRAL News also reached out to RDU. A spokesperson responded:
"The matter in question involves a specific airline and their third-party contractor that handles services on their behalf at RDU. We defer to the airline for comment."
The encounter was also featured in the "View From the Wing" blog, which reports the man said airport police responded and were "extremely polite and professional." View From the Wing reports the man was never able to board his flight and had to pay $500 to catch a Jet Blue flight.
RDU confirmed the police were called. Airport police responded to the ticket counter and spoke to the people involved. No further action was needed.
According to the blog, the man has also reached out to Indigo Partners, which owns Frontier Airlines, for assistance.