What a stressful job, who would want to be a gate agent? So many passengers are in a hurry and/or stressed about getting to their destination; and the gate agent bears the brunt of passenger wrath in the event of a delay or cancellation. By no means am I excusing the rude ones. They can often be unforgettable representatives of the airline - the face that disgruntled customers picture when the decide to not fly on a certain airline. Therefore, since the rude ones do more harm than good, it would be better to hold them accountable.