ATTN:

Frontier Airlines, Hartsfield Jackson Airport, Department of Transportation, City of Atlanta, FAA, TSA

My name is Shar Bates and I was scheduled to fly out from Atlanta, GA to Miami, FL on Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 on Frontier Airlines flight ​​F9 1514 (Confirmation Code - I74YRV) but unfortunately that didn’t happen after the harassment and discrimination by Frontier Airlines “Supervisor” Sonya (and 2 Crew Members) while just simply trying to board and sit in my seat as a paying customer. 

While trying to board the plane with only my laptop holder sized bag as my personal  bag, Sonya told me to go see the other associate regarding my bag. I did, and even AFTER the entire bottom of my bag including wheels fit into the holder (that was shuffled and bulged a little in the middle due to TSA taking additional security measures). SHE STILL placed her hands up towards me signaling to stop talking simultaneously while saying it’s “$79.00 or I’m Re-Booking you.” I asked her to just simply look at the bag to see that the whole bottom fits and she refused. I even asked to rearrange WHILE she was STILL ACCEPTING PASSENGERS… But she refused and did so very nastily! 

She told me 2 times prior to getting on the flight that she can call the police if I didn’t “calm down”. But I was calm the entire time, as witnesses observed and that actually bothered her.

I ended up paying for the personal bag, yet because I snatched my bag quickly as it went the wrong way to go onto the tarmac she threatened me by saying “Let me remind you that, I’m the one making the decision as to whether or not you can board this flight.” She then proceeded to  FOLLOW me onto the plane. She went to the back of the plane and walked right back up to me in the aisle and said “Move or Sit Down” I looked at her for a second and went right back to reading my boarding pass to see my seat number, because she was obviously trying to trigger me. She repeats herself and I say “I’m literally looking for my seat.”

She then tells me that I need to meet her at the front of the plane like a child. I asked her “Why, and what does she want?” Confused why she keeps messing with me (because it’s harassment at this point). 

She tells me AGAIN, that “if I don’t calm down I’m not gonna be able to continue on with the flight and that she’s close to calling the police.” I calmly asked her to please STOP HARASSING ME and allow me to go on to my seat because she got what she wanted, which was me WRONGFULLY PAYING $80 for a laptop personal bag, even after paying for a checked bag. 

I then proceeded to my seat (which was occupied by 2 grown men in a 3 passenger seat) so instead of asking both men to move I simply sat in the row behind where there was only 1 passenger in the 3 person row. 

Then 3 minutes later she sends another lady over (shorter mid 20s Caucasian woman with a bun) over and asks for my boarding pass VERY NERVOUSLY. I instantly asked her, why.. Because the black lady at the front who keeps messing with me asked you, and she said yes. I gave her my boarding pass and asked her where she would like for me to sit, it’s not a problem. 

Then as I’m asking the 2 gentlemen to move to allow me to get to the window seat an older white woman (early 50s, tall with a side ponytail) came over frustrated and said “I don’t see what the problem is, why can’t she just sit here” in another seat where there was only 1 passenger in a 3 person row. I said “I don’t know, the lady from the baggage area keeps harassing me. But I will sit wherever you want me to sit.”

Sonya then sends ANOTHER lady over, this time it’s another “Supervisor” (tall Caucasian, late 30s, blonde hair with a white shirt on) that proceeds to harass, antagonize and singles me out by talking to me like a child. “I need you to promise me that you’re gonna be on your best behavior.” I said “Why do y'all keep harassing me, I’m literally sitting in my seat but yall keep coming over trying to get a rise out of me.” She says (as if she was actually there) “You’ve been irate, loud, disrupting people, and causing problems and I can’t let you stay on this flight if you’re going to continue.” 

Before I even got a chance to respond, about 15 passengers ALL STATED AT THE SAME TIME, “That’s a LIE, and yall keep messing with her. She’s been calm this entire time.” 

Then when Sonya sees that everyone is taking up for me and agreeing with me she walks back up (still not understanding why she’s even onboard the flight at this point where we should be taking off) but she goes, “That’s it, I’m calling the police and you’re being removed.” The entire plane went up in an uproar, she gets mad and says “Anybody else got something to say you aint flying either.”

Everyone got scared and quiet but one passenger named Natalie. I started eating an apple to stay calm because I knew she wanted me to react in a way that would’ve given the Police a reason to manhandle me!

The police came on board very rudely as well. Telling us he’s about to remove us and any pushback from anyone will be forcibly removed. As he’s saying this he looks at me and literally popped his glove to intimidate me. Being that I have witnessed police abuse and kill African Americans on the daily it was clear with the level of aggression that he wanted to harm me. Even when we were all trying to tell them what happened he said “What we’re saying doesn’t matter, he’s not a mediator and is there on behalf of the airlines.” - APD 

Meaning passengers not only have no rights on flights, but also no protection as “they work for the airline at this point” as the officers stated. 

I proceeded to walk off the plane then as I’m walking out the rest of the plane walks out with me. I asked what was going on and they said that they’re removing everyone from the flight. Sonya even walked past and smiled at the camera and waved to agitate me even more (THIS IS ALL ON FILM BTW).

I then spoke with another supervisor at the gate (a taller black lady mid 40s with a green dress on and straight hair) and she said that it’s up to the flight attendants and “They don’t want us on the plane.” I asked her to just ask a few of the other witnesses but she refused. She said we would be refunding all of our fees immediately (I STILL HAVEN’T BEEN REFUNDED).

I then proceeded to show her and everyone else that this was all over a bag that actually fit but TSA ravaged through my things leaving me with 10 minutes to get to my gate and board my flight so i didn’t have time to rearrange but since I had already checked the size prior I didn’t think they would make a big deal about the small bulging part. 

As soon as I showed the passengers that my bag fit and that I was still charged $80 they all went into an uproar AGAIN showing me all the bags that were bigger than mines that weren’t charged for. 

APD then started rushing us out (Me and now Natalie, the passenger that spoke up) and pushing us to go to a side door that we’ve never seen before. We asked them to stop touching us several times but they continued to the point where me and Natalie were in fear of our lives being taken while being intimidated by APD (who is not a stranger to killing African Americans for a small offense) pushes us through a side door and yells at us and threatens to put their hands on us in a secluded area with no cameras, or other passengers, just planes. NOT TO MENTION THE APD Officer ADMITTED THAT SONYA LIED & SAID THAT THEY NEEDED THEM BECAUSE A PASSENGER REFUSED TO PAY FOR A BAG. Isn’t lying to a Police Officer a Felony in the state of Georgia?

The police drove us to a random area and let us go with no details. I stayed calm during this interaction because I’ve seen too many people lose their lives over something small. 

The way Sonya and the other associate used their power to SIC the police on a black woman and labeling her “IRATE” so the police would handle me aggressively after overcharging me is RIDICULOUS. The fact that Frontier Airlines, Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson, the FAA and TSA is standing by these employees speaks volumes. 

I am a melanated mother and could have BEEN KILLED! My children could be orphans all because Frontier Airlines, Sonya and the other associate is ABUSING THEIR POWER, THE AUTHORITY OF POLICE, THE PATRIOT ACT AND THEIR AUTHORITY!! I am a spiritual practitioner and community advocate that watch police kill people like me all the time just simply from someone making a phone call to the Police (who should be neutral but wasn’t) and while I stayed calm by keeping my children in mind, I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE WOULD AND HAVE been thrown in jail, loss money, placed on the “Do not fly list,” harassed, beaten and possibly KILLED all because people like Sonya & her friend didn’t like their “attitude” or wants to teach someone a lesson and flex their power because they know it’s no authority over them and there are no rights or protection for passengers which is UNACCEPTABLE!

Just because you’re a federal employee does not grant them the right to abuse power on the local, state and federal level all because they know the laws are in their favor. As well as how easy it is for them to reschedule an entire flight if people and take someone off a flight and how easily they can SIC the Police on people, who should be “Protecting and Serving” but are used as a WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION on people daily.

Because it’s soo INCREDULOUSLY WRONG for everyday citizens to PAY THE POLICE SALARY & PAY THE AIRLINES FOR A SERVICE ONLY TO BE TREATED LIKE CRIMINALS

Sonya and her accomplice need to be FIRED IMMEDIATELY and they do not deserve to hold a Flight Attendant Certification for any company nor airline, unless TSA, The City of Atlanta, DOT, FAA & that Airline (Frontier) stands behind their abuse of authority, power and the patriot act. 

Because of the F.A.A.'s new "Zero Tolerance Policy" people are now being thrown off airplanes EVERY DAY for ANY INFRACTION but every time is NOT THE PASSENGERS FAULT.

Do we not have rights? Sometimes the Customer IS RIGHT! And this time, we have TONS OF WITNESSES, who were ALSO PUNISHED FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH WITH ME!!