Airlines are used to getting complaints on social media, but there is a limit to what they will do to make a customer happy. One passenger found JetBlue's limit on Saturday.
Matthew Lush, an Internet celebrity who describes himself as "your new gay best friend", called the carrier on Nov. 25 because he wanted to cancel a non-refundable ticket. JetBlue's customer service said that there would be a fee of $150, but Lush wanted a full refund.
Although the service agent offered to lower the fee to $100, Lush was unhappy with that too -- and said he would encourage his followers to boycott the airline.
Lush has more than 150,000 Twitter followers, and 500,000 YouTube subscribers. After he told JetBlue about this plan, he followed through -- tweeting about the agent by name and even posting her employee reference number.
Although his tweet was more joke than anything else -- he made a Mean Girls joke about the encounter -- his followers were less civil, according to JetBlue. The airline determined that some of the tweets about the incident were threatening.
One time Regina treated @MatthewLush badly, I punched her in the face, it was awesome #ByeRegina87346— ❤️Team Internet❤️ (@I_Like_Food14) November 25, 2014
The airline's security met Lush at his gate on Saturday. After speaking to him decided to ban him from the flight -- and all other JetBlue flights.
Holy fuck @JetBlue is kicking me out of their terminals!!! Saying I'm a security threat!!!! WHAT THE FUCK— Matthew Lush (@MatthewLush) November 29, 2014
"We would never ban someone for their tweets," said JetBlue's corporate communications manager Morgan Johnston. "[The security team] wanted to assess if this situation had the potential to escalate in altitude."
Are you kidding me? I now have to find a new flight last minute because @JetBlue is banning me from their flights cause Im a security threat— Matthew Lush (@MatthewLush) November 29, 2014
On Sunday, Lush posted a video to his YouTube account about being banned, saying the airline told him he was a "physical security threat." In the video, he tells his followers to tweet their support with #BoycottJetBlue.
JETBLUE banned me from ever flying with them again! https://t.co/PZGSKmh9z0 #BoycottJetBlue— Matthew Lush (@MatthewLush) December 1, 2014
JetBlue's Johnston confirmed the decision and stands by it:
The decision to remove any customer from a flight is made after careful and informed decision by local airport officials and flight crew. It’s based on an individual’s actions and our assessment whether further actions during the flight would lead to further disruption or non-compliance with crew member instructions which could lead to diversion and delays for all customers.
But Lush still has more than a few defenders.
Im still not over how jet blue treated @MatthewLush a threat? Seriously? You might wanna think again. He's the sweetest. #BoycottJetBlue— autumn roach (@foreverzankie17) December 2, 2014
@JetBlue ARE YOU GONNA BAN ALL OF US FROM YOUR AIRLINE?!?!?! THIS JUST MADE YOU LOOK REALLY BAD.. #BoycottJetBlue @MatthewLush DONT JUDGE!!!— Jayy (@__Jonathan_14) December 1, 2014
I will NEVER fly with @JetBlue because of what they did to @MatthewLush. He is NOT a threat to ANYONE or ANYTHING. #BoycottJetBlue— Taylor (@kchop712) December 1, 2014
JetBlue is completely in the wrong for the way they treated @MatthewLush, what ever happened to the customer is always right #BoycottJetBlue— Jacob J. Ryan (@JacobJRyan) December 1, 2014