If there’s one thing flyers know, it’s that when you’re in an unfortunate situation at an airport, you remain calm, cool, collected and polite. After all, if you’re going to miss your flight because you checked in too late, and alternate flights are limited, it’s not the fault of the airline employee whose job it is to help you.
Apparently Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) is not a flyer who knows this.
Sen. Cruz was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with employees at a Montana airport over the weekend. Things apparently didn’t go his way, and eventually escalated to the point that a public safety officer had to intervene, as per a video that was posted on Reddit.
Ted Cruz accosting airline employees today at BZN after missing his flight. Law enforcement had to be called when he wouldn’t calm down from Bozeman
Cruz was seen at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport on Sunday afternoon, as per the Reddit user who posted the short video. Most of the video shows what appears to be him talking to two female airline representatives. You can’t hear the conversation, but Cruz’ body language suggests he’s upset (and frankly, if he was about to miss his plane, it’s with good reason. But still…calm, cool, collected and polite). The last few seconds of the video show him talking to an armed police officer, which would suggest things had escalated.
Someone on Twitter said they heard from a friend who worked at the airport that Cruz arrived late to check-in at the United counter, with 7 bags:
The original poster on Reddit updated their original post, after it started gaining some traction (Note: Edited only for adult language):
Just wanted to add some context because my post has gained some attention. As some people have pointed out, you can’t make out what he’s saying in the video. It wasn’t my intention to create a propaganda hit piece. I just wanted to show the interaction as it happened.
I wasn’t directly involved in the situation and I don’t work for the company involved. Just happened to be in the area when it happened. I did overhear bits and pieces of the conversation and got much of the rest of the conversation from others.
It’s not an uncommon scene at the airport. An entitled “Karen” misses their flight and demands special treatment. They deny any wrongdoing of their own and somehow come to the conclusion that it’s the airline’s fault that they missed their flight. Often a verbal argument then ensues and if the passenger starts making a scene, sometimes law enforcement will come and help defuse the situation.
From my understanding, that’s exactly what happened here. As I said, it’s not an uncommon scene. What is uncommon and unacceptable is when this behavior is displayed by an elected official. His constituents whom he represents, I’m sure, would not be impressed.
I’ve seen this situation play out a hundred times with other passengers. The airline employees handled Cruz with the same high level of professionalism and respect any other passenger would receive. He wasn’t given any special treatment (positively or negatively). I commend the staff for staying cool in the moment and for not giving him special treatment.
Perhaps my phrasing with “accosting” was a bit hyperbolic. I don’t think he was directly verbally abusing airline staff. More just being an entitled p***k. He did however make thinly veiled threats towards the employment of the people involved. Demanding their names and threatening to call corporate. Presumably to flex his political weight to punish the employees involved and/or receive special treatment.
Hope this helps shed some light on the situation.
The Daily Mail, which also posted the video, said they spoke to a representative of the airport:
…confirmed to DailyMail.com that a ‘frustrated’ Cruz had missed the check-in window for his flight, and that re-booking options were ‘limited out of Bozeman due to Spring Break.’
Bozeman airport deputy director Scott Humphrey said that Cruz was eventually able to rebook his flight and leave later that evening.
Humphrey also explained:
One of our Public Safety Officers (PSO) was in the ticket lobby and was asked to assist with a frustrated passenger at the United ticket counter (which is not unusual). The passenger had missed the check-in window for his flight and re-booking options were limited out of Bozeman due to Spring Break. Once travel options were explained to the passenger, he was rebooked and departed Bozeman later that evening.
He may have needed to take Delta on the way home. Also from Twitter:
It’s speculated that Cruz was in Montana for a GOP fundraiser or other political event.
Ted Cruz has never been touted as an all-around nice guy that everyone likes, so it’s probably not a surprise that the internet couldn’t help but get a few jokes and comments in at Cruz’s expense…
On Reddit:
- “Don’t you know who I am?!” “Yes I do and I’m less inclined to help you because of that” – KeegorTheDestroyer
- Ted’s just trying to get to Cancun guys.- lazyjk
- “Yes, I would like to speak to the airport manager!” – DizzyedUpGirl
- I don’t think that anyone’s surprised that Teddy’s the type of guy that’ll yell at someone else because of his own f**k up. – KiloEchoNiner
- Question: Why was he in Bozeman? – Katpat72
Answer: Texas probably had another power outage – ghettomerman
On Twitter:
With subtitles pic.twitter.com/G4OuujuQ4I
— ElElegante101 (@skolanach) March 20, 2022
Feature Photo: Gage Skidmore/ flickr (license)
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4 comments
OMG!! an ARMED police officer????
IKR?!?!?! (I was hoping this also would stop people from suggesting it was just a security guard)
I’m sorry, but being late to your flight (it’s your own fault) is not “a good reason to be upset” if you are projecting that abuse at others. Not surprised both you Floridaians are taking his side…..
I think you jumped to conclusions about what I wrote, Jorge. If someone is about to miss their plane, even if it’s their fault, of course they’re going to be upset. But the name of the game is to stay calm, cool and collected. Not to make vague threats about the employees’ having a job, and certainly not requiring a cop to be added to the scenario. Trust me, we would NEVER give the likes of Ted Cruz the benefit of the doubt. Florida may run purpleish red, but Orlando runs deep blue 😉