Fly IFR

Why are gate agents so moody all the time? I recall a time when I was trying to non-rev from point A to point B and the gate agent couldn't find my name in the system and I tried to make a recommendation and she started literally making a scene in front of all of the passengers! Has anyone else had similar experiences or am I the only one that has been verbally assaulted by a gate agent ? To me it always seems like a gamble with them, they are either irate or very friendly, no in between. All gate agent terror stories are welcome!

Outlaw2097

Agents either like dealing with people or believe that it is only another job, simple as that.

Reminds me when I worked on the ramp. Either you enjoyed the people and dealing with planes, or you just throw the lighter bags when loading as hard as possible, then went and wiped off sweat with the pax blankets.

I dont think Ive met a person who is angry at the world for being a flyer...

TristarJS30

Well, I'd be ****ed off dealing with the general American public every day... especially when everyone has this sense of entitlement and acts like they could never be wrong... or heaven forbid the plane didn't wait for them to arrive! I usually don't argue with gate agents as it gets you no where (literally.)

But anyway, yes most of them are often rude to me, some are very helpful. I don't commute so I dont deal with them on a regular basis, but I non-rev alot.

I only had one truly bad experience, the rest were just minor annoyances. My folks were trying to nonrev home from Florida thru Atlanta and the gate agent told them the flight home was oversold. I happened to have a long layover that day and was watching on our company website on a page that has real-time seating assignment information. I could see that there was 6 seats open on the plane. My dad called to tell me they didn't make the flight and wanted to know what should they do (never non-revved before), so I told them to kindly ask her again if there were seats available. They did and the gate agent started screaming in the background. She told my parents in no uncertain terms she couldn't care less who I worked for, what I did for that company, what my computer said, or even if "He was Jesus himself!". She said that they weren't getting on because she said they weren't.

I told them to thank her and walk away to the next gate open where the gate agents weren't doing anything and ask them to check the flight. They did, and amazingly, there was 6 seats available and they were given 2 of them.

bizzum

I had only 1 excursion with a gate agent that wasn't following the rules. It was on a commute from my home airport, and it was on one of my company a/c. I knew there was 1 seat open in the back, we have priority over others, even mainline, on our airplanes. She would not give up the seat, saying the flight was full. When they started boarding I counted 49 people get on the plane, so I politely asked her again for a ticket, which she said nope sorry. About this same time around the corner comes a mainline flight attendant, she didn't even have to stop and she was handed a ticket and down she went. Again I politely said to the agent that I had priority over her, as it was my company operating the flight.....followed by a nasty look and a "NO YOU DO NOT!" So a quick call to dispatch, followed by an ACARS to the crew, followed by the CA coming up and explaining to the agent and I was on. This gate agent is no longer a gate agent, and talking with the other agents (which I have come to know pretty well) they had said she was "asked to resign" due to her letting her friends on out of priority, as well as "sneaking" non-rev's on before paying pax.

Fly IFR

I agree, however, I think that being a pilot and since we are all on the same team, that we should be shown a little bit more respect. I agree the best thing to do is say thank you and walk away, although it is very hard to bite your tounge sometimes! My friend told me a story of how he had to bribe a gate agent with gourmet chocolate to get on a flight once, haha!

rickair7777

This is used to pretty common, but because it is such a sensitive issue with high loads nowdays, most companies simply fire CSR's who get caught tweaking non-rev priorities. A few still do it, but most are afraid for their jobs.

If you suspect someone is doing this to you, and you are on your way to work tell them you will have to report it management as the reason you missed your show time. If they let someone on out of priority, they can't delete the evidence so they're going to get caught if anyone looks into it. I have seen managers meet an arrival airplane at the gate and hold deplaning until they get on board and physically verify who sitting in a certain seat.

TristarJS30

I whole-heartedly agree. Many gate agents still think we are over-paid prima-donnas and dislike us for that reason. Of course, I've seen some pilots act like lunatics too when dealing with gate agents.

Paok

ATL gate agents are the WORST

ERJ135

I generally stay out of their way. I get the impression that anything we ask is a big hassle. I hate asking them to let me down the jetway. Once we had an agent columbus not show up to let us down. It was first flight of the day. So after several phone calls the one that was supposed let us down finally showed up, look she had been sleeping. As she opened the door she ask us if we were ready to send them down. Mind you the airplane is cold and dark. Capt just laughed and said we'll call you. Its unbelievable sometimes.

Paok

My mom has a theory that all people that work around the airport, in the airport, scheduling ETC ETC ETC (aka all people who stay on the ground) are ****ed off in general, bc we pop in and out and all over, and they stay right there....it really is true