In mid-October 2014, social media networks and news media sites were abuzz with the tale of First
According to Charlotte television station WSOC, there was initially some dispute over what exactly transpired when Marle made his request:
First Sgt. Albert Marle asked a flight attendant if she could hang up his jacket to keep it from getting wrinkled. Passengers on board the flight said she refused, citing a policy that said the closet was only for first-class passengers and Marle wasn't one of them.
An airline spokesperson said Marle was the fourth person to make that request and the closet didn't have space but passengers said that is not how the flight attendant responded.
"Her response wasn't that there's not space in the coat closet or 'I've hung too many jackets up.' It was just simply, 'Our airline policy says I'm not going to do it, so I'm not going to do it,'" said Brian Kirby, a first-class passenger on
Passengers said the soldier did not raise a fuss and quietly returned to his seat. Some of them offered him their seat in first class but the soldier wouldn't take their seats.
"He was more than willing to take his seat. He was not going to make an issue of it. It was us in first class that made an issue out of it," said Kirby.
The following day, the airline issued an apology and declared they were investigating the incident, stating: "We apologize for the situation and are reviewing the incident internally. We have a long and proud history of serving our military members and hold the men and women who serve our country in the highest regard."
Last updated: 11 October 2014
 | Sources: |
WSOC-TV [Charlotte]. "Flight Attendant Refused to Hang Army Ranger's Uniform Jacket." 9 October 2014.