Our family of eight started the day having an absolutely wonderful experience with Waikiki Trolley…read more We were greeted by the sweetest woman who helped us purchase our passes, followed by a genuinely kind Pink Line driver. Our Blue Line driver was equally wonderful--fun, friendly, and everything we hoped to experience in Hawaii.
Unfortunately, by the end of the day, that experience had completely changed. The behavior of two employees was so unnecessarily rude, hostile, and unprofessional that our family decided we would no longer support Waikiki Trolley for the remainder of our vacation (7 more days).
I am specifically requesting that management REVIEW THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE from when our family boarded at Waikiki Shopping Plaza, and ESPECIALLY when we exited at the Ilikai stop at approximately 6:06 PM. PLEASE REVIEW THIS FOOTAGE.
Although the employee, Char, had already been unnecessarily aggressive toward us while boarding, the harassment escalated after I politely asked for her name and my father photographed the trolley number to identify the vehicle when filing a complaint.
It was only after Char realized we intended to report her behavior that she deliberately EXITED THE TROLLEY to confront and harass me further. We were already approximately ten feet away, walking away without arguing or engaging with her. Yet she left her vehicle, called after us, and demanded that we return to photograph the posted rules.
PLEASE REVIEW THIS SPECIFIC INTERACTION. Char chose to escalate the situation after we had already left. Her behavior felt like blatant, unwarranted harassment. It was uncomfortable, intimidating, and left me flabbergasted. Why would an adult working in hospitality pursue customers who had already walked away simply because they might report her behavior?
Regardless of the original disagreement, there is absolutely no justification for an employee to exit a trolley to continue confronting a family that has already left. I ask management to preserve and review this footage before making any determination.
Our first negative encounter occurred when I approached a driver sitting outside an out-of-service trolley. He was the only employee nearby, so I politely asked where we should wait for the Pink Line. He wouldn't even look up. When we repeated the question, he appeared irritated and sarcastically pointed toward a pole, saying something like, "See the pole? Find the next one."
The pole had no identifying information. We were tourists asking a reasonable question. His rude, sarcastic response was completely unnecessary.
Unfortunately, what happened next was worse.
We walked to the next pole, as instructed, only to be yelled at by Char for standing incorrectly. When I apologized and explained that we didn't realize we needed to stand elsewhere, she raised her voice AGAIN, saying she was telling us NOW that we needed to stand against the wall.
We were NOT blocking the walkway. We were standing at the pole another employee had directed us toward.
Even after we boarded, Char continued aggressively reprimanding us for not standing against the wall. Other passengers were visibly shocked, and several even apologized for her behavior.
Throughout our approximately 50-minute ride, people stood at poles rather than against walls at EVERY stop, yet Char never yelled at or reprimanded anyone else. Not one person.
Why was our family treated differently?
I cannot say with certainty what motivated Char's behavior, but being singled out raised genuine concerns about whether race played a role. That is incredibly uncomfortable while visiting a place known for its hospitality and aloha spirit.
We were not causing a problem. We were simply asking questions and following the instructions we had been given.
A simple explanation delivered with basic courtesy would have resolved everything.
Our family had planned to continue purchasing trolley transportation throughout our stay. Instead, we decided to forego additional rides and rent a vehicle. We would rather spend our money elsewhere than risk another encounter like this.
Your wonderful employees earlier in the day demonstrated how positive this experience COULD have been. Their kindness made us feel welcome. Unfortunately, your evening employees completely overshadowed that experience.
This was not a minor inconvenience or simply someone having a bad day. It was repeated, unnecessary disrespect toward paying customers, including children and family members who witnessed it.
We came to Hawaii excited to experience its beauty, culture, and HOSPITALITY. We certainly did not expect such hostility.
Management, PLEASE REVIEW THE FOOTAGE, especially Char exiting the trolley to confront us AFTER we had already walked away. While you review footage please also notice Char's failure to wear a seatbelt...