Alaska Airlines has faced criticism after news emerged that it recently forced a gay couple to leave their flight so that a straight couple could sit together.
Well known American business man David Cooley, owner of both The Abbey Food & Bar restaurant and nightclub The Chapel, has revealed through his Facebook account that he and his partner were removed from an Alaska Airlines flight after refusing to move to allow a heterosexual couple to have their seats.
Cooley and his partner had been seated in their assigned seats on board flight #1407 from JFK to LAX when they were approached by a member of the flight crew, who told them that Cooley's partner would have to move so that a couple could sit together. Not only was he told that he had to give us his seat, but that he would be moved from his Premium seat to Coach.
Cooley told the flight attendant that they were a couple and wished to remain together, but was instructed that if they did not give up their seat for the straight couple they would have to leave the aircraft.
'I have never been so discriminated against while travelling before. I was removed from an Alaska Airlines flight # 1407 from John F. Kennedy International Airport to LAX to give preferential treatment to a straight couple. After my travelling companion and I had been seated in our assigned seats for a while, we were approached by the flight attendant and my companion was asked to move from his premium seat to coach, so a couple could sit together.' Cooley wrote on Facebook. 'I explained that we were a couple and wanted to sit together. He was given a choice to either give up the premium seat and move to coach or get off the plane. We could not bear the feeling of humiliation for an entire cross-country flight and left the plane.
'I cannot believe that an airline in this day and age would give a straight couple preferential treatment over a gay couple and go so far as to ask us to leave. We will never be flying Alaska Airlines or their recently purchased Virgin Airlines Group ever again. Thank you to Delta Air Lines for getting us home safe. If you are an #LGBT person, please spend your travel dollars with an LGBT friendly airline like Delta.'
When approached by Gay Star News for a statement, Alaska Airlines responded to confirm that the incident did indeed take place, and is currently under investigation.
'When boarding flight 1407 from JFK to LAX, a couple was mistakenly assigned the same seats as another couple in Premium Class. We reseated one of the guests from Premium Class in the Main Cabin.
‘We are deeply sorry for the situation, and are investigating the details while communicating directly with the guests involved to try and make this right. Alaska Airlines has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind, and our employees value inclusion for our guests and each other.'
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‘We are deeply sorry for the situation, and are investigating the details while communicating directly with the guests involved to try and make this right. Alaska Airlines has a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind, and our employees value inclusion for our guests and each other.'
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of bullshit. You (Alaska Airlines) knew full well what you were doing when you made David Cooley's husband move to a seat (in a lower class, no less) to give preference to a heterosexual couple.
You are a disgrace to the airline industry.