Man Live Tweets Drama After Asking Seatmate On Plane To Move Her Feet
By Dave Basner
August 17, 2019
Of the many things people on planes do to annoy their seatmates, taking off their shoes and putting their feet up ranks pretty high. So when the woman next to Frederick Joseph on a United flight did just that, he was rightfully perturbed, but what happened next was pretty crazy... and he live tweeted the whole thing.
The audacity of white privilege:
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
This woman next to me took her shoes off and placed both feet on the table. So I’m waiting for flight staff to say something... pic.twitter.com/ldOIgwiPWi
So flight staff walks by numerous times without saying anything, and I’m irate, because no black person would ever get away with this shit. So I start looking at the staff noting that there is an issue. You know, giving them the snitch eye... pic.twitter.com/953966yubs
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
So finally I decide to say something to the woman myself. So I say “ma’am, I’m trying to eat, and your feet are next to my food.”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
She says “what do you want me to do, the seats are small” pic.twitter.com/AlizfVNAMB
So I’m like “I understand, which is why there is room for your feet and legs under the seat in front of you”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
So she says “this is why I fly first class, and I don’t come back here with everyone else.”
So I’m like “that’s great, so are you going to put your feet down?” pic.twitter.com/u3ZAOsrnxB
This is where things went from disturbing to absurd:
So she calls over a flight attendant as soon as I say that!
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
She says to the flight attendant “this man is disrupting my flight, I’m just trying to be comfortable”
So I point at her feet and explain my stance.
The flight attendant says... “well what if she puts her feet closer to the window or puts one down”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
The woman says “if I put one foot down, I want to be accommodated for accommodating him” pic.twitter.com/NrUHKDj6m9
So the flight attendant speaks to the person in-charge on the plane and they give promise this woman a fucking $1000 voucher ... ONE.THOUSAND. DOLLAR. pic.twitter.com/0DEZKKDU1e
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
So I ask “what voucher will I be receiving for my suffering”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
The flight attendant says “sir, we can only make but so many accommodations, and she has agreed to move her feet for you.” pic.twitter.com/617NE2aG06
Now I’m on the phone trying to explain how problematic this all was to a white woman in customer service who doesn’t get my issue. pic.twitter.com/3lVxeqfVrC
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 13, 2018
The saga didn't end there - United followed up with Frederick but it didn't really resolve too much.
UPDATE: so @united called me this morning to tell me that the passenger didn’t receive any compensation.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
So I told the United representative “I’m happy to hear that, but I still have an issue with the flight attendant pacifying her and essentially taking her side.” pic.twitter.com/ODLGcRpdv6
The rep says “well, our staff can’t tell someone what to do. But, again, I assure you, she didn’t receive money.”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
So I say “that’s great, again. But by attempting to momentarily pacify her, the flight attendant created a negative situation for me and took her side.” pic.twitter.com/yJE0SUffYG
I continue “also, I find it hard to believe that if this was a person of color someone wouldn’t have asked her to put her feet down.”
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
She says “sir, I personally don’t believe it has anything to do with race or culture. As you can hear from my last name, I am a Hispanic person” pic.twitter.com/Z4Y9vkMjee
She then did the whole “United accepts everyone” etc spiel.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
So I told her that’s fine and she thanked me for my time and offered to give my feedback to the flight staff. pic.twitter.com/G2NW7IiuTn
Basically, United had a woman w/ a Spanish sounding surname tell me there should be no issue because the woman ended up not getting money.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
Oh, and racial bias didn’t matter here, because again a woman with Spanish sounding name at United says it didn’t.
Tone deaf. pic.twitter.com/TH9cT9FbjY
He's finding his own closure to the situation.
Both @united and the passenger have their view and I have mine. At this point I’m moving on from the situation.
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) March 14, 2018
Can't we all just agree to keep our shoes on and our feet down for the entirety of the flights.
Photo Credit: Getty