Lesbian actress kicked off flight for kissing girlfriend

[foreigncorrespondent]

Former The L-Word star Leisha Hailey complained in a stream of Twitter messages yesterday that she and a girlfriend were kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight in a dispute over them kissing on a plane.

<snip>

"SouthwestAir endorses homophobic employees," she tweeted. "Since when is showing affection towards someone you love illegal? I want to know what Southwest Airlines considers a 'family.'"

She went on to tweet: "Boycott SouthwestAir if you are gay. They don't like us."

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/lesbian-actress-kicked-off-flight-for-kissing-girlfriend-20110927-1kuhp.html#ixzz1Z7SoYNyt

Well obviously they are a straight family orientated company as I remember flying with them and seeing several heterosexual couples kissing and never being asked to stop and then escorted from the flight for daring to speak out about it!

[patrick t. cakes]

1. WTF?

man this place is fucked up.

[MADem]

2. OK....I have a serious question, here.

Why are so many "famous" people flying SOUTHWEST?

Awhile ago some musician guy with his pants on the ground got kicked off.

It's the Greyhound of the air. It's a cattle car.

Every time I've flown them, it's been every seat filled, FAA minimum flight crews, no amenities.

How the hell could you even see what people were doing? You can barely get down the aisle to the crapper, they've got so little space in their planes!

And what were they doing to cause such upset? Were arms and legs flying? Or was the employee a bit of a nanny?

It sounds like the aircrew said something stupid about them kissing, and that resulted in an exchange of words, and the exchange of words caused the jettisoning:

Hailey, 40, tweeted that a flight attendant had told her that Southwest "was a 'family' airline and kissing was not ok", and that she and her companion were then "escorted off the plane for getting upset about the issue".

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/travel/travel-news/lesbian-actress-kicked-off-flight-for-kissing-girlfriend-20110927-1kuhp.html#ixzz1Z7TZjurh

[Ilsa]

3. Every seat is filled on every flight hubby and I've been on

over the last ten years, and that's been Continental or AA.

I think the flight attendants are idiots for treating them this way. It's absurd.

[foreigncorrespondent]

4. Answer...

Why are so many "famous" people flying SOUTHWEST?

Does it really matter? But in answer to your question I do know that actress Jeri Ryan will use cheap flights because she travels so much.

It sounds like the aircrew said something stupid about them kissing, and that resulted in an exchange of words, and the exchange of words caused the jettisoning:

And that was kind of the point I made when I mentioned about witnessing straight people kissing on Southwest flights... they weren't asked to stop because it is a family airline, and then they weren't removed from the flight for speaking out about it. If the company is going to claim this, then they need to have the same set of rules for everyone, not just gay couples because it dare makes some people uncomfortable.

[yourout]

5. Jeri Ryan is the Borg that could assimilate me anytime.

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. Me too! LOL (n/t)

n/t

[MADem]

8. Well, "Does it really matter?" isn't an answer, but whatever.

I am starting to wonder if some networks or awards shows put SOUTHWEST tix in the "goody bags" that they hand out to celebrities at the Oscars/Emmys/CMAs and the like, along with the fancy coffee, personal care products and iPhones.

I used to fly SW to Baltimore and then take the train into DC, because it was CHEAP. It was unpleasant though convenient enough and the flight wasn't too long. If I was a bit flush, though, I'd be upgrading to a better airline.

If SW is engaging in discriminatory behavior, they should be checked for it.
I am not suggesting that I think the behavior of the crewperson was at all appropriate--I think whoever made the comment was an ass, unless, of course, the conduct of the kissers was absurdly excessive--and by excessive, I mean something that looked like it should be rated "R." Two people kissing isn't generally regarded as "R" rated behavior in this day and age.

All I was doing is noting that there was a progression/escalation that culminated in the "kick off." The crewperson did not say "You--KISSERS!! Get off this plane!!!" There was a bit o-back-n-forth first, and then, the edict.

Jeri Ryan should get a better agent, who negotiates travel expenses into her contracts!

[Voice for Peace]

12. that's odd.. I have just flown a round trip on SW & it was amazingly comfortable, friendly

and seemed quite gay. And there were lots of empty seats. And you could sit anywhere. Lots of leg room.
:shrug:

edit to add: also the fare was shockingly cheap.

[MADem]

14. Maybe they see me coming and roll out the "uncomfortable" planes!

I always tried to get there early so I would get on first--there was no assigned seating on the flights I took, you got placed in group A, B or C depending on when you checked in, and they boarded pax by group.

[Voice for Peace]

21. haha that must be it..

[jeff47]

15. Just because one is famous doesn't mean one wants to throw money around

They fly Southwest for the same reason non-famous people do: It's cheap. Becoming famous doesn't mean you have to burn through money like there's no tomorrow.

[MADem]

22. Some famous people are cheap, but they also like their privacy.

You aren't going to get any of that on SW. It is a cattle car.

Also, most agents worth their salt can negotiate for travel expenses at slightly above "Sky Greyhound" quality! I mean....at LEAST business class, if not first (none of which are available on SW).

That's why I wondered if they were throwing tickets into those award show goody bags, to try and "up" their profile by giving freebie tickets to famous people. They've sure been in the news lately, but not in the way they might have liked.

[TheWraith]

26. For what it's worth, Southwest has a pretty spectacular safety record.

They've never lost an airplane, or even a single passenger. I believe they're the only major airline which can claim that. So that could entice some people to fly with them.

[begin_within]

7. How do you kick someone off a flight?

Just open the door in mid-air and say, "Would you kindly step out here for a minute?"

[MADem]

9. Well, I don't think the plane had left the gate! nt

[jberryhill]

10. I dunno, but every time I sit in an exit row, they want to be sure..

..I'm ready to help out.

[xfundy]

11. Important note:

This kind of shit is not a new phenomenon; if you're straight, it may seem to be, because the multiple insults gays and lesbians have had to endure for YEARS were never highlighted, and no one cared. Finally, the world is seeing the kind of BS we've had to deal with for, as I said, years.

And no one else ever cared, because they never knew, and we were too scared to speak up, for fear of being labeled and/or being arrested and jailed, possibly being beaten or even killed, for being who we are.

I grew up knowing that I was "bad," just because I was different. I had to learn to stifle my reactions and enthusiasms. I had to pretend to be straight from a young age. As a teen, I had to try to identify which girls were "cute" or "hot," and since I honestly couldn't tell, I was often chastised for choosing the "wrong" ones.

When you're used to being stifled if you try to express your true thoughts and feelings, then discover that you can express yourself appropriately in public without fear, it really does a number on your psyche, I don't care who you are.

[QC]

16. +1

[jberryhill]

13. Unbelievable.

I've seen plenty of folks kiss on flights. There is no way Southwest can claim that's an unusual thing to do.

[stockholmer]

17. Southwest best apologize quickly for the homophobic shite, unbelievable how neanderthalic the US

still is. Truly sickening.

:thumbsdown:

[MADem]

23. Discrimination exists everywhere. Doesn't make it at all right, but

it's not helpful to finger wag and suggest that the US is "sickening," implying that other nations are somehow utopias. Even Sweden (yes, Sweden), Austria, Greece, etc. continue to discriminate on a de facto, if not a legal, basis...everyone has a little work to do, still:

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:eT9ZC5e31CYJ:www.eale.nl/Conference2011/Programme/papers%2520poster%2520I/add153863_y0LQVv6Jay.pdf+Swedish+discrimination+against+gays&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESj-pWMvive8WBj-Llmhjy7gt3lL2NFMFgJFYl9UXA7664BxcU_5BzHPQM0IRCRve1Ql0ebUpTzZ1R0saXSduL7dTwu0jU6kvJbbqOMMvL5LVyP2lR8VYNozeCQ4_KR-5_8U4HH7&sig=AHIEtbRWS57BlwdkEwGY8W37lgQJQ8nyPQ

I won't even go into the death sentences that are passed out in places like Iran. That kind of stuff is obvious--it's the less obvious discrimination (you have all the rights, but you still can't get hired) that's the hardest hurdle to overcome.

[The Philosopher]

18. Time to

YouTube all the incidents of heterosexual PDA's on Southwest planes.

[They_Live]

19. This seems like an isolated incident

I always fly Southwest, and have never witnessed anything like this (the flight attendant's reaction). As a matter of fact, I've noticed quite few of their flight attendants seem to be gay or lesbian.

[MADem]

24. I saw an AP article that said that SW tossed the woman off for profanity, not

kissing. I can't speak to the accuracy of the report, but I did see it--a quick blurb in a local paper.

[dbackjon]

20. I fly SW all the time

Usually with my partner. We usually exchange a kiss or two at some point in the flight. Never had an issue.

Could be isolated incident - a flight attendant with a stick up her butt. Could be she was really being inappropriate (Fully on making out, gay or straight, is not appropriate, IMHO).

[Rabblevox]

25. I'm gay and have never had a problem with Southwest...

including mild PDA's when travelling with my partner. (hand holding and kissing, no heavy making out, which I agree is inappropriate regardless of orientation)

I pretty much hate flying at all anymore, but if I have to, Southwest has been affordable, efficient, and as far as I've seen, LGBTQ-friendly. I see no reason not to continue giving them my business.