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Actress Brenda Song publicly criticized Alaska Airlines on Saturday, March 21, 2026, following a "nightmare" travel experience with her family.
In a series of Instagram posts, the Suite Life of Zack & Cody star detailed an incident where the airline allegedly separated her from her two young children, ages three and four.
Brenda Song expressed her frustration that Alaska Airlines reportedly "gave away" the first-class tickets she and partner Macaulay Culkin had booked months in advance on the morning of their flight.
The actress sarcastically noted she was unaware an airline could simply reassign premium seating that a traveler had secured so far in advance.
According to Brenda Song, the resulting seating arrangement forced the family to sit apart, creating significant stress while traveling with toddlers.
She concluded her message by declaring that her family would never fly with the carrier again and encouraged her followers to reconsider their own travel choices.
Following the viral social media posts, a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines reached out to address the situation.
The airline described the family's experience as "unacceptable" and stated that it does not reflect the level of care they aim to provide to traveling families.
The representative acknowledged that traveling with young children is inherently stressful and expressed deep regret for adding "friction" to the trip.
The airline confirmed it has reached out to Brenda Song and Macaulay Culkin to resolve the matter and "make things right."
While technical issues or aircraft swaps can sometimes trigger seating reassignments, the company emphasized its pride in being a family-friendly airline and apologized for the failure in this instance.
It remains unclear if the family has accepted any formal compensation or offer from the carrier.
