David Ford, a Connecticut man undergoing chemotherapy, has filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines, claiming a gate agent attacked him and refused to follow the airline’s “extra seat” policy. Ford, who is dealing with cancer treatment side effects, purchased an extra seat for his June 12 flight from Hartford to Baltimore, as he needed more room to move around during the flight. Southwest’s policy allows passengers to buy an additional seat if they need extra space for comfort.
According to the lawsuit, when Ford approached the gate agent to check in, the agent allegedly told him, “You don’t look handicapped,” and questioned why he was entitled to a second seat. The agent then refused to issue the extra seat ticket that Ford had already purchased and demanded to know his medical condition.
Ford, feeling unfairly treated, began recording the interaction on his phone. At this point, a second gate agent reportedly joined in and said, “You ain’t getting an extra seat on my watch.” The agent noticed Ford recording and allegedly climbed over the luggage weighing station, threatening to call the police if he didn’t stop.
While waiting for police, Ford says the second agent grabbed his phone and demanded his password to delete the recording. Eventually, a supervisor arrived and allowed Ford to board the plane with both seats. However, Ford claims the same gate agent later boarded the plane, sat next to him, and demanded again that he delete the video.
Ford is suing Southwest for compensatory and punitive damages, as well as legal fees. Southwest Airlines has yet to comment on the case.
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