First-class tickets don’t always guarantee a smooth journey, as Brenda Song has criticized Alaska Airlines after a seating issue she says affected her, fiancé Macaulay Culkin, and their children.
Celebrity travel complaints aren’t unheard of, but Song’s frustration centered on a problem many families dread: being separated right before boarding, even after paying extra to sit together.
In an Instagram Story shared on 21 March, the actor said she and Culkin were unexpectedly placed apart from their kids, Dakota, four, and Carson, three, despite having reserved their seats.
According to Song, the change came without any heads-up and happened on a trip tied to one of their children’s birthday plans.
Song urged followers to avoid the airline, and Culkin later reposted her comments while adding his own line: “Hell hath no fury like a Brenda scorned…”
The couple have been together since meeting while working on the 2017 film Changeland, and Song explained her side of the situation in detail, writing: “I didn’t know when you book your first class tickets 6 months in advanced for your family of six for your son’s birthday @alaskaair can just give away your seats the morning of with no warning.”
After her post circulated online, E! News reported that Alaska Airlines called the situation ‘unacceptable’ and said it was ‘not reflective of the care we strive to deliver.’
“Traveling can be stressful, especially with young children, and we pride ourselves on being a top airline for traveling families,” a representative for the airline told the publication, adding: “We are deeply sorry for adding friction to the experience.”
The airline also said it planned to make amends, stating it ‘have reached out to the family to make it right,’ and adding: “We appreciate that guests have a choice in the airline they select and we take our responsibility to deliver a safe, reliable and caring experience every single time.”
Situations like this can frustrate any passenger. And while it may feel unreasonable, the US Department of Transportation notes there are circumstances where airlines can reassign seats—even if they were previously selected—depending on the scenario.
Examples can include missing the check-in deadline, last-minute operational changes that require a seating reshuffle, or flights that are oversold.
It may not feel fair, but in certain cases it is permitted—along with other similar situations.
Song and Culkin generally keep their home life out of the spotlight, though Culkin has occasionally shared personal reflections about parenting, particularly given his long-running estrangement from his father, Christopher Culkin.
“Since becoming a papa myself I’ve decided to reinvent the wheel,” he wrote on Instagram
“Other than getting an hour or two of extra sleep I try to make the day a celebration of my boys more than me,” Culkin continued. “After all, they are the ones who made me a father (no offense to Brenda).”
“I try to do fun things for the boys on Father’s Day,” he concluded. “It’s a special day.”
Alaska Airlines and representatives for Song have been contacted for comment.