A Houston-bound Southwest flight to Atlanta was delayed last week after a flight attendant allegedly refused to allow the plane to take off unless a passenger cleaned up of pile of rice in the aisle.
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Jennifer Schaper documented the incident and tweeted it last week on April 15. She said she was boarding the plane when another passenger spilled the food in the aisle, and a flight attendant noticed. “A Houston-bound Southwest flight to Atlanta was delayed last week after a flight attendant allegedly refused to allow the plane to take off unless a passenger cleaned a spilled rice pile in the aisle,” Schaper wrote.
Schaper continued to say that the flight attendant had an attitude over the mishap and made faces when people laughed.
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A paper towel covered the rice, and the flight attendant gave passengers an update about the rice. However, the flight didn’t take off until all the food was picked up.
“We’re gonna sweep up this rice so you don’t have to walk through it, and it won’t be an eyesore. We apologize, but again, I don’t think you want to walk through it. So, let us take care of this at the gate before we leave. Thank you,”
The flight crew was ready for take-off but had to delay again after a passenger needed to use the bathroom and had to wait for her to return to her seat. Schaper said the flight had a few bumps but allegedly didn’t serve any beverages. According to PEOPLE, Southwest responded to the tweet and said beverages weren’t served as a safety precaution during bumpy flights.
“We’re sorry that our Crew was unable to provide onboard refreshments due to bumpy travel conditions. Safety is always our number one priority, but we hope that we can make it up to you next time! Thank you for bearing there with us, Jennifer.”
Social media users also commented on the incident and said they found it strange that planes do not have any cleaning tools to clean up similar incidents.
It can be aggravating as a passenger to learn that your flight has been delayed, especially if you have connecting flights or crucial engagements to attend. While flight delays can occur for various reasons, flight attendants play an important role in maintaining the safety and well-being of passengers on board.