American Airlines and Homophobia (?)

[tablet_eraser]

Please see this New Yorker article (http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060925ta_talk_collins).
Now, I'm not involved in civvy aviation (I work in military air ops), but I am a gay man and I would find this apparent discrimination offensive. I was wondering whether you lads and lasses could shed some light on the story. Were the AA crew fully justified in acting the way they did? Does the couple involved have grounds for compensation for harassment or discrimination (accepting the US's less-than-perfect history with cases involving sexual orientation)?
Cheers!
t_e

[RaverFlaver]

Talk about ridiculous. You always see that thing, especially flying to holiday destinations. I don't see what the big deal is. I have never seen or heard of anyone being told off for kissing on an aircraft.

[Muizenberg]

Wonder if this article has reached Stonewall, Outrage, etc...Peter Tatchell would surely like to know how this couple has been intimidated/humiliated by American Airlines...Think the gay community should know how these front line representitives have acted...It's simple if you feel strongly about thi situation, tell your friends/family and Boycott AA---then and only then will they learn the power of the pink ££;)

[sebby]

Hmmm very interesting! I wonder though if it was more the opinions of the operating crew than AA.

In the past AA, alongside QF have been major sponsors of the gay games...

aiam as gay as can be though and cetainly would never stand for something like this! :=

[BMED LHR]

Gay or Straight ...
Keep the kissing at home !! , An Aircraft is NOT a normal environment it's a metal tube at 35 000 feet .

But , I don't understand why the captain got involved .
That would never happen on a British Airline , The flight deck never get involved. Just show's the Purser is not confident in her position , And she was also not very professional for mocking the other crew member (Sue Ellen , Dallas) . Very bad taste in customer service on American Airline's behalf !!

But don't forget there are Many Gay people at AA , This is just one example of bad Customer service the same thing happened on a British Airways flt from Cape Town in 2004 . http://uk.gay.com/headlines/6985

[apaddyinuk]

Well considering a huge majority of male crew are gay I seriously doubt this story. Its not like the AA girls on that flight will not have encountered anything like this before from both passengers and fellow colleagues.
However, knowing how the bible belt is in america I suppose nothing would surprise me because I feel america is not the most tolerant nation in the world despite preaching it!

Oops, did I say something controversial for a change?

[Rainboe]

I am very disturbed about Jackson's remarks about the visual appearance of the stewardess. He was obviously denigrating her appearance and making out she was old fashioned: “Texas hair, like from the nineteen-sixties.” For a start, this is extremely insulting to Texans, and insulting to the stewardess herself whose appearance is apparently causing caustic comments. If she was fat or disabled, it would be totally unacceptable, so how come this homosexual man, who feels he has been discriminated against and insulted, has the brass nerve to then make discriminatory and insulting comments about a member of the crew? I would like to see this crewmember suing this individual! If you are going to shout 'Fire!', make sure you are not also lighting fires yourself!

Kissing and smooching is never nice to see on an aeroplane. It's not as bad as people using mobile phones next to you in train carriages, but one wishes one had the nerve to say 'for goodness sake, save it for later!'. All one can say is that day one of the crew was not so restrained. But I agree with their action, just as if one was sitting in MacDonalds and the people next to you were draped around each other playing tongue hockey- it's not the time or the place for that, so the crew were keeping order.

What was the question again?

[SuperBoy]

so how come this homosexual man, who feels he has been discriminated against and insulted, has the brass nerve to then make discriminatory and insulting comments about a member of the crew?

He was asked by the purser which member of crew had asked them to stop what they were doing. As the crew member in question had not given them her name he only described what she looked like. Who knows maybe she was going for the 60s retro look.

Don't get me wrong I don't agree with procrastinating on an aircraft but the incident probably would not have occured if they were left to, quite literrally, sleep in piece.

[sir.pratt]

obviously a turn on for all concerned - even the purser became rigid - but really, the only thing this article is missing is the description of the aeroplane screaming throught the sky at 600mph having to turn unexpectedly to avoid crashing

[EAAFA]

Is it normal practice for crew on American Airlines to threaten to divert the plane when dealing with passenger issues? It sounds like an unprofessional way to handle a customer dispute.

[Check Airman]

Is it normal practice for crew on American Airlines to threaten to divert the plane when dealing with passenger issues? It sounds like an unprofessional way to handle a customer dispute.

Since when did cabin crew have authority to divert?

[+200 No Flags]

Provided that all of the above story is true...

Hopefully this poor way of handling inflight disputes will not be adopted as a new industry standard.
Threatening with a diversion over an arguement as trivial as this one is well below anything I've seen so far and can only come from someone severely lacking self-confidence and eloquence.

[mostie]

checkairman,

the statement says "crew". My understanding is that this term can include both cabin crew AND skygods........

[+200 No Flags]

checkairman,

the statement says "crew". My understanding is that this term can include both cabin crew AND skygods........

I beg to differ... This is a quote from the New Yorker article :

Finally, the purser said that if they didn’t drop the matter the flight would be diverted.

[Eddy]

This is "gay friendly" industry without a doubt so the chances of a crew member being fiercely homophobic are very, very slim. Or so one would hope.

Fact is though that the world is full of ignorant and bigotted people to whom the act of two men kissing would cause offense and, in some extreme cases, lead to violence - be it physical or verbal.

Perhaps the way in which the crew handled it was waaaay out of line - indeed, it would seem that way - but two men kissing has more potential to upset other passengers than a man and a woman. Sad (and certainly not my opinion), but true.

None of us can really comment with any authority on this one, for none of us were there, but if the extent of the kissing was merely the very occasional "peck", it should have been dropped. If it was more than that, in the name of a harmonious environment onboard the aircraft, the crew member was perhaps right to approach the couple (though again, not in the manner she did).

[sec 3]

All of you, get back in the closet where you belong:}

[Roadtrip]

I find this whole thread offensive.

[apaddyinuk]

I find this whole thread offensive.


Awwww bless!!! Suggest you put cotton wool in your ears and hide in a dark closet then. That way nothing will offend you! :E :ok: