The United passenger who had her first-class seat handed over to a Democratic congresswoman said her gripes about it had nothing to do with race.
Jean-Marie Simon, a Washington, DC, teacher, was outraged when the airline booted her from her cushy seat, which she had booked in advance, and gave it to Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
Simon called out Jackson Lee on social media and the veteran Houston lawmaker responded by lashing out at Simon, suggesting that the Texan was an easy target because she is African-American.
But Simon, in an interview with Fox News, shot down the racism allegation.
That could have been Donald Duck in my seat, Simon told the network Thursday. I could not see who had boarded the flight. I didnt even know who she was.
At first, Simon didnt know who took her seat on the Dec. 18 flight as she argued at the gate.
United eventually reseated Simon in the economy plus section and gave her a $500 voucher.
Simon wrote on Facebook that another Texas congressman informed her that a fellow member of the delegation was in her seat and regularly does this to passengers.
United claims Simon lost her seat because she canceled her flight via the app which she denies. And Jackson Lee inflamed matters by attributing Simons discontent to racial animus.
For now, Simon is focusing most of her energy on dealing with United, not Jackson Lee, but told Fox News: The only way she is relevant is that she has a documented history of demanding first-class service.
Asked for comment, Jackson Lee spokesman Rucks Russell said in a statement: The congresswoman regrets any inconvenience that her travel may have caused to any passenger, however the issue in question involves the passenger and United Airlines.
#1: misterwhite To: Deckard (#0)
Basically saying the woman would have been perfectly content if a white person stole her first-class seat.
misterwhite posted on 2017-12-29 11:28:13 Reply Private Reply
#2: Stoner To: Deckard (#0)
Is still a dumb ass idiot, racist BITCH !!!
Stoner posted on 2017-12-29 12:05:03 Reply Private Reply
#3: Pinguinite To: Deckard (#0)
That's a red flag right there! But does this mean United regularly does this, or the congresswoman regularly does this? It implies the latter.
Pinguinite posted on 2017-12-29 12:51:34 Reply Private Reply
#4: rlk To: Stoner (#2)
Texas Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee is testing the limits to see how much she can get away with. The more she is allowed to get away with increases her confidence that there is still more she can pull off. She needs a hard lesson in no means no.
rlk posted on 2017-12-29 20:49:16 Reply Private Reply
#5: Hank Rearden To: Deckard (#0)
Hank Rearden posted on 2017-12-31 16:00:02 Reply Private Reply
#6: sneakypete To: Deckard (#0)
With her,EVERYTHING is about race. Her whole political career is based on black racism focused on hating whites.
Although to be fair to her she really is so stupid she might not realize that.
That woman is D--U--M dumb.
sneakypete posted on 2018-01-01 02:56:58 Reply Private Reply