Conservative talk show host Beck still claiming mistreatment by American Airlines

DALLAS (AP)

Radio talk show host Glenn Beck isn't backing down from his public attack on American Airlines.

For a second straight day, Beck on Wednesday used his show to complain that a flight attendant treated him rudely. Beck claims it was punishment for his conservative views.

Beck said American should fire the flight attendant, and he vowed to never fly on American again.

"These big, stodgy airlines that think they can treat people like garbage - they can't," Beck said during a 14-minute segment he devoted to the topic. He suggested that such poor service could explain why American had to seek bankruptcy protection, yet insisted that he wasn't trying to hurt American or urge fans to boycott the airline.

American said it regretted that Beck "had a disappointing experience" on his flight home Monday from Newark, N.J., to Dallas. The airline said it was still looking into Beck's complaint, a response that the commentator called "lumbering."

Beck said a flight attendant fawned over other passengers in first class but spoke only one word to him, and slammed a can of soda on his tray without opening it as he did for others. As for evidence of political bias, Beck said the man loudly told other passengers "how he was so proud of the very liberal cities in America." However, Beck acknowledged that his wife, seated across the aisle, didn't notice anything unusual.