Sheryl Lee Ralph is opening up about what she called a stressful holiday travel ordeal with American Airlines — and she’s not mincing words.
On Saturday, December 20, the Emmy-winning actress took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share details of her experience dealing with the airline’s First Class and priority check-in during one of the year’s busiest travel times. Ralph said the process took over an hour, citing understaffed counters and a lack of clear communication from airline staff throughout the delay.
“Well over one hour in the First Class/priority check-in line during holiday travel,” she wrote. “Minimal staffing. Few answers. No sense of urgency or care and delayed. Holiday travel is not an excuse.”
Ralph went on to say the issue wasn’t only the long wait, but the overall attitude she encountered. “The lack of empathy, accountability, or even acknowledgment of the inconvenience conveyed a troubling indifference,” she added, pointing out how disappointing the experience was for passengers paying extra for premium service.
She also tagged American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and highlighted her long-standing loyalty to the carrier by using the hashtag #millionmiler.
Her post quickly picked up momentum, prompting other travelers to jump in with similar complaints about lengthy lines, inadequate staffing, and poor communication during the busy holiday period.
American Airlines replied directly to Ralph, issuing an apology but not fully addressing the wider concerns she raised. “Waiting frustrates us too, and our apologies for the longer than expected lines at check in,” the airline wrote. “We’ll share your feedback with airport leaders so they can review it internally.”
The back-and-forth didn’t exactly line up with American Airlines’ recent claims about being prepared for the holiday travel surge. In a seasonal travel press release, the airline said it anticipated serving more than 12 million passengers across over 119,000 flights this holiday period, marking an increase compared to last year.
“Our more than 130,000 team members are committed to making our customers’ journeys on American this holiday season safe, reliable and enjoyable,” Chief Operating Officer David Seymour said in the statement. He also noted that the airline worked closely with federal agencies and made extensive preparations for winter weather operations.
American further pointed to recent efforts meant to enhance the customer experience, such as expanded TSA Touchless ID access, new technology designed to help passengers make tight connections at major hubs, aircraft upgrades, and improvements to lounges and onboard services.
