Alec Baldwin's American Airline Lesson, Issues Apology
Alec Baldwin, who was forced to leave an American Airlines flight for playing a game on his iPad Tuesday, has issued a statement about the situation.
In a piece written for the Huffington Post, Baldwin issued an apology to the passengers of the American Airlines flight that was delayed due to the actor.
“I would like to apologize to the other passengers onboard the American Airlines flight that I was thrown off of yesterday,” Baldwin said. “It was never my intention to inconvenience anyone with my ‘issue’ with a certain flight attendant.”
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However, the “30 Rock” actor said he felt singled out when he was asked to put away his personal handheld device.
“While other people were still manipulating their own phones, this one employee singled me out to put my phone away. Afterward, we still sat at the gate,” Baldwin explained. “I pulled out my phone again, while others did the same. Again, I was singled out by this woman in the most unpleasant of tones.”
American Airlines, however, had released a statement before Baldwin’s piece appeared in the Huffington Post. They described the Baldwin’s erratic behavior when they followed procedure by asking him to turn off his technological device.
“When the door is closed for departure and the seat belt light is turned on, all cell phones and electronic devices must be turned off for taxi-out and take-off. This passenger declined to turn off his cell phone when asked to do so at the appropriate time,” the statement on the American Airlines’ Facebook page read.
Adding, “The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seat belt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane’s lavatory. He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked.”
Baldwin admitted that he was not on his best behavior.
“I guess the fact that this woman, who had decided to make some example of me, while everyone else was left undisturbed, did get the better of me,” the actor wrote.
After ranting about the situation on Twitter when the incident took place, Baldwin has since deleted the social networking account. Although he spoke about old-fashioned service and the airline industry in 911, the actor closed his Huffington Post letter with a lesson.
“The lesson I've learned is to keep my phone off when the 1950's gym teacher is on duty. That was my fault there, even though this trip was quite a bit different from so many others,” the actor wrote. “But it is sad, I think, that you've got to fly overseas today in order to bring back what has been thrown overboard by US carriers in terms of common sense, style, and service.”
