‘Why is she laughing at my name?’ Airline apologizes after staff member mocks child’s odd name
An American airline has been forced to apologize after a mother lodged a complaint claiming a member of staff mocked the name of her daughter…who was named Abcde.
The mother who complained, Traci Redford, is now being widely mocked on social media for naming her now 5-year-old child Abcde – which is, of course, pronounced Ab-city. Many users on Twitter were unsurprised by the airline employee’s reaction to the name, while others questioned why the mother thought naming her child after the first five letters of the alphabet was a good idea.
Name shaming? This Texas woman claims a @SouthwestAir agent made fun of her 5-year-old daughter's name as they were preparing to board their flight at @JohnWayneAir in Orange County.Her daughter's name is Abcde (pronounced Ab-city). @ABC7pic.twitter.com/iHpBPoakYI
— Veronica Miracle (@ABC7Veronica) November 28, 2018
According to Redford, the name-shaming Southwest Airlines employee started laughing, pointing at the mother and child, talking to other staff about it, and even took a photo of the child's boarding pass. The picture mocking the name was posted to social media – where it was spotted by somebody who knew the family.
When I type “Abcde” into my phone it autocorrects it to spell “abuse” just saying...
— ProfessorXover 2K19 (@WahzizNaim) November 30, 2018
Redford told broadcaster ABC7 that her child was confused as to why the staff member was mocking her. “She said: ‘Mom, why is she laughing at my name?’ And I said not everyone is nice and not everyone is going to be nice and it's unfortunate.”
The Texan mother also claimed that in the two weeks following her complaint, the airline had failed to act or respond.
-Screws her kid for life by naming her after the first five letters of the freakin' alphabet and says the name's pronounced "ab-city"-Claims Southwest employee is the big meanie in the situation to her daughter for laughing at the name
— bebe (@bebeondack) November 30, 2018
Someone seriously named their kid “ABCDE?” It’s pronounced “ab-city.” 🤦♂️ #nothisisntajoke
— Sir Smitty the Yankee (@SmittytheYankee) November 30, 2018
Southwest spokesperson Chris Mainz offered the family a “sincere apology” in a statement to Buzzfeed News. Mainz added that the employee's social media post “is not indicative of the care, respect, and civility” expected of airline staff.
Data from 2014 indicates that Abcde’s rather unique name is actually shared by 328 other people in the US.
Who names their kid Abcde???
— Kelly weber (@htownrn1960) November 30, 2018
My name is Ab-City .... How you doin ...😜 pic.twitter.com/8Y80DqVlyo
— Eddie 🌪🌪🏒 (@Slapshoted24) November 30, 2018
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