Surveillance video shows 71 year old Ronald Tigne shoved to the ground by a United Airlines customer service agent. This happened in 2015 and the grandfather and frequent flyre is now suing the airline.
He says he asked the employee “for a new boarding pass because the one he had was garbled” but that the agent replied, “Can’t you see we’re busy?” (though the agents weren’t helping other customers at the time). Mr. Tigne told the agent to “wipe that smile off his face” and the agent is said to have responded, “I’ll kick your…” and that’s when he shoved the man to the ground.
“He lies there lifeless for minutes. Not one employee comes to check on him.”
“None of the United employees even bend down to see if he’s OK, to see it he’s alive?” Spencer asked.
“No one even went to check his pulse,” Hoke said. “They literally left him there like a piece of garbage.”
In fact, over the course of the nearly three-minute surveillance video, not one United employee ever appears to try to comfort the man in any way.
Another passenger came over to check on him and asked employees to call 911. The United agent was charged with a felony for the attack.
United says they’re “distured by the completely unacceptable behavior” while mentioning more than once “2015” it seems to me suggesting that since this didn’t just happen we shouldn’t worry so much about it.
The actions shown here do not reflect our core values or our commitment to treat all of our customers with respect and dignity. We are reviewing all circumstances surrounding this incident and reaching out to our customer through his attorney to profusely apologize for what occurred and to make this right.”