Baldwin apologises to customers but not airline

ALEC BALDWIN has issued an apology to fellow passengers on an American Airlines flight that was delayed by his refusal to stop playing a mobile phone game — but stopped short of apologising to the airline or the flight attendant he later mocked on Twitter.

The 30 Rock actor’s note, posted on the Huffington Post website, lamented the state of modern air travel. Baldwin noted the financial struggles of airlines, saying the result is that air travel has devolved into an inelegant experience, akin to riding a Greyhound bus.

Baldwin said the level of service on US carriers has deteriorated, with “filthy planes, barely edible meals, cuts in jet service to less- travelled locations”.

Baldwin writes that increased security on commercial airplanes post-9/11 has resulted in a “paramilitary” aura around air travel: “September 11th was a horrific day in the airline industry, yet in the wake of that event, I believe carriers and airports have used that as an excuse to make the air travel experience as inelegant as possible.”

Baldwin’s letter is the latest volley in a dustup with American Airlines, with the airline taking to social media Wednesday to maintain it was following federal regulations when it booted an “extremely vocal customer” from a flight for refusing to shut off his mobile phone.

The airline said on its Facebook page it decided “to provide the actual facts of the matter” after Baldwin stated publicly he had gotten kicked off the flight.

Baldwin took to Twitter after Tuesday’s incident at LA International Airport, saying he was asked to leave a New York-bound plane after a “flight attendant on American reamed me out” for playing a game on his phone. Baldwin said he was playing Words With Friends while the plane sat at a gate.