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Why Ann Coulter & Delta Are Bitterly Feuding On Twitter

by Joseph D. Lyons
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

When you're siding with an airline in a PR spat, you know things must be serious — and as of Monday morning, lots of customers and Twitter users have done just that. If you consider what Ann Coulter has tweeted at Delta, though, it starts to make a lot more sense. The inflammatory conservative pundit went full tooth and nail on the legacy carrier after they gave away her pre-booked $30 premium seating to another passenger.

It all began on Saturday afternoon. She started with a jab, which became one out of more than 40 tweets directed at the company. "Just when you think it's safe to fly them again, the worst airline in America is STILL: @Delta." Then she went on to explain what had happened to her: That she was moved from a seat with extra room, to a normal economy seat. In doing so, she attacked just about everyone imaginable.

At the top of the list of attacks was Delta staff. She started out bashing their union representation. "Does your union hate you, @Delta? Not really worth spending all that money on planes when @Delta gate staff give your seat away," Coulter wrote in her second tweet. Then Coulter said that the flight attendant said she didn't know why the move happened.

But it got worse. "Airline crew training at @Delta: Replicate Stanley Milgram's prison experiment at Yale, inducing normal ppl to brutally torture fellow man," Coulter tweeted. "@Delta employee questionnaire: What is your ideal job: Prison guard? Animal handler? Stasi policeman? All of the above: HIRED!" she continued.

The poor woman who was given the seat even got dragged into it. Coulter took a picture of her and posted it on the social media platform, noting, "@Delta didn’t give my extra room seat to an air marshall or tall person. Here’s the woman given my PRE-BOOKED seat." Perhaps it were a man, she wouldn't have minded. The way she writes it was "some woman, not elderly, child, or sick" does kind of make you wonder. She also called her a "dachshund-legged woman."

Delta responded in perhaps the perfect way, not riling up Coulter but acknowledging that such abusive behavior is not acceptable. "We're sorry you did not receive the preferred seat you paid for and will refund your $30," the airline wrote to her. "Additionally, your insults about our other customers and employees are unacceptable and unnecessary."

The beef took over Twitter over the weekend with lots of customers taking the side of Delta, and a sizable number that of Coulter. One notable comment came from Tariq Nasheed. He wrote, "Ann Coulter='Blacks need to get over their victim mentality' Ann Coulter has to change seats on Delta='Oh my God, I'm being victimized!'" It received more than 50,000 likes.

Perhaps Coulter will consider treating those around her with more compassion, even airline staff. But considering her brand is based on arguing unpopular opinions, don't bet on it.