Gay Couple Forced to Leave Alaska Airlines Flight So That a Straight Couple Could Sit Together
A gay couple had to face a bad experience against in Alaska Airline flight from New York to Los Angeles. They were told to sit separately so that a straight couple could sit together but not wanting to face more humiliation, they decided to leave the plane.
People from the LGBTQ community are still facing a lot of discrimination despite several campaigns advocating their rights world over. A gay couple had to face a bad experience against in Alaska Airline flight from New York to Los Angeles. They were told to sit separately so that a straight couple could sit together but not wanting to face more humiliation, they decided to leave the plane. David Cooley who owns the West Hollywood gay bar The Abbey wrote his experience in a Facebook post. Alaska Airlines Rape case: Co-pilot Sues the Company After Being Drugged & Raped by Flight Captain.
Mr Cooley was travelling with his boyfriend but they were told to not just vacate the seats but even leave the plane. The incident took place at the John F. Kennedy International Airport. In his Facebook post, he narrated the entire incident. "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." The couple were assigned to sit together but a flight attendant asked them to give up their premium seats for another straight couple. When he told the attendant that they too were a couple, he was given a choice to move or leave the plane!
Read the entire experience by David Cooley:
Both of them left the plane and luckily found another flight to get back to LA. Cooley also wrote in his Facebook post that they would never travel with Alaska Airlines again and thanked Delta Air Lines, with which they managed to reach back. He also advised others from the community to travel by an LGBT friendly airline.
The Alaska Airlines addressed the issue after a while on Twitter and apologised for their discrimination, mentioning that they had made wrong seat bookings. Not to miss, their mention of a zero tolerance policy for discrimination.
Take a look at Alaska Airlines apology:
In another news report, the airlines also said that they would investigate the matter further and try to make this right. But well, the damage has been done. Telling the couple to move out was a bad move in itself and such a discrimination was not expected in this time and age. Especially when the country has legalised the LGBT rights, such discrimination is totally unfair.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2018 05:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).