A TRAVELER said he was booted from an American Airlines flight after shifting a crew member’s bag from an overhead bin.
When he moved the bag without alerting the flight crew, it triggered what the unlucky passenger called an extreme overreaction by staff.
GettyA travel blogger was kicked off an American Airlines flight (stock image)[/caption] GettyThe travel blogger had moved an unclaimed carry-on bag (stock image)[/caption]The confrontation happened aboard American Airlines flight 106 from New York to London Heathrow on June 9.
JT Genter, a blogger and frequent flier with over two million miles under his belt, boarded the international flight with his wife.
Genter wrote for AwardWallet that when he went to put his carry-on away, he found the overhead space in premium economy was already full.
He said he spotted one bag that looked oversized and asked nearby passengers if it was theirs.
When no one claimed it and no crew members were around, Genter moved the bag to the economy cabin to make room for his own luggage.
He claimed he spotted one bag that looked oversized and asked nearby passengers if they knew who it belonged to – no one did.
But that’s when things began to spiral.
When a flight attendant discovered the bag didn’t fit in the economy section, a fellow passenger revealed that Genter had moved it.
A male flight attendant approached him and asked, “You put yours up there? You took down the crew member’s [bag] and put yours up there?”
Genter said this was the first time anyone told him it was a crew member’s bag, and said the overhead bin was marked “reserved for premium economy.”
He claimed the attendant snapped, “You moved my suitcase. You touched my suitcase and you moved it.”
Genter says the man leaned in, wagged a finger in his face, and shouted, “You’re outta here,” before walking to the front of the plane.
Soon after, the flight attendant returned with the lead purser and the issue escalated again.
“You moved another person’s bag, which is a crew member’s bag, which is not allowed,” the chief flight attendant reportedly told him.
American Airlines Carry-On Rules
Passengers are allowed 1 personal item and 1 carry-on bag Carry-on size limit is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, must fit in overhead bin Personal item size is 18 x 14 x 8 inches, must fit under the seat Oversized bags may be checked at the gate if bins are full Soft-sided garment bags must not exceed 51 inches total (L+W+H) Musical instruments must fit in overhead bin or under the seat Valet bag service applies to most regional flights (except ERJ-175) Remove batteries or restricted items before checking bags Check TSA rules for restricted items and liquid allowances before travelSource: American Airlines
Genter offered to put the crew bag in business class instead of moving his own, which he said had medications, electronics, and currency he needed close by.
Eventually, a supervisor boarded and took Genter aside on the jet bridge to hear his side.
According to Genter, the supervisor told him, “My intention is not to remove you from this aircraft… it was an honest mistake.”
After returning to the plane, she told him the crew refused to fly unless he was taken off.
“I will take care of you. I got you,” she reportedly told him, before collecting his things and rebooking him.
Genter was offered a seat in first class on the next flight, but with the condition that that he not recline the seat.
He declined and flew premium economy instead.
He also claimed the supervisor listened to his audio recording of the entire incident and called it the most unjust removal she had ever witnessed.
American Airlines later gave Genter 5,000 frequent flier miles and a formal apology, calling the ordeal a “minor misunderstanding.”
“This is never the kind of experience we want you to have when traveling with us,” the apology read.
An alleged flight attendant involved in the incident later posted in the comments section of View From The Wing, identifying himself by name.
He claimed Genter was removed not because of he moved the bag, but because “he indicated that he did not have to comply with crew member instructions.”
“If he had simply asked someone in the crew… I would have been happy to move mine to accommodate his,” the attendant wrote.
“He indicated… that there was nothing we could do about it. I think it is reasonable to expect that this defiant and non-compliant behavior would continue after takeoff.”
He added that removing Genter was a preemptive measure to avoid costly inflight disruptions.
In response, Genter said the claims were false and potentially defamatory.
“The flight attendant cannot prove these claims, and I have audio recording of the incident that proves these claims are false,” he stated.
He also pointed out that American Airlines has not publicly backed the crew’s version of events.
Genter has not yet released the recording but says he’s keeping it in case the matter escalates further.
American Airlines didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment by The U.S. Sun.
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