Anonymous commenters

Today I received the following post from an anonymous source:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Kicked off rhymes with
ticked-off! or Alaska Airli...":

This sounds like a very embarrassing and frustrating situation you were
placed in, however, I'm not seeing clear evidence of racism. Two people
sitting together of opposite gender and vaguely similar age and
ethnicity are widely "presumed" to be a couple. It doesn't matter if
they are white, black, asian...that is a common, if often incorrect,
assumption made in service industries. To me, it sounds like the racist
person was the 17 year-old "drama queen." The flight attendants are
responsible for the safety and security of passengers in the cabin. If
a passenger is believed to have caused a disturbance to other
passegners or interfered with the flight crew duties, they have every
right to have that person removed. It is very unfortunate that the
flight attendant did not witness what transpired and simply bought the
girl's fabricated sob story, but I don't see how you can conclude that
the flight attendant wouldn't have done the exact same thing had the
passengers sitting behind the girl been white. Anyway, I feel very
sorry that you had to go through such a humiliating experience, but I
just don't think you will have any success with a lawsuit.
I welcome all constructive comments, but it's easy to generalize when you weren't there.
First off, the man and I were no where near the same age. He was probably in his 50s and
I'm in my early 30s (but I get carded when I buy lottery tickets, so I clearly don't look
30). I also never said I was going to file a lawsuit. I know I want a written apology from
the flight attendant and the gate agent, but beyond that, I'm not sure what would make me
feel alright about flying on their airline again.

Regardless, most of my problem is that flight attendants are making very erratic snap judgments
(as you can see from many news posts here and comments from other readers). One can only
know how such a situation makes them feel while they're in that situation. This was one where
I felt like I was being judged by my skin. Anything I said fell on deaf ears despite the fact
that I never once raised my voice, cursed or acted in any belligerent manner. I didn't even become
visibly defensive and agitated until I was back in the terminal.

No one except the flight attendant knows for sure how she came to the decision she did. But I do
know how it made me feel. I've said this before, I'm not one to jump to use the "race card" but from
what I learned in hours of Disney sensitivity training, "it's not how you intend your actions, but
how they're perceived." I perceived that the flight attendant acted in a manner that I feel was
racist. Her intention may have been otherwise, but I can only tell you how it made me feel.

Flying the Bratty Skies

In the following article I am very curious as to WHY the airline did not remove the unruly passenger BEFORE the flight, instead allowing him to delay the entire plane? Although if this were repeating my scenario, the poor British bloke who missed a funeral he was scheduled to attend would have been kicked off the flight for not liking an unruly passenger's behavior. Below is the story of a young, bratty passenger (is he American or is he French? Not that it matters, but it says both in the article) who got a lot of leeway with his angst, just like the bratty girl on my flight. Is causing a ruckus on a plane the next big thing?

Air-rage suspect accused of pre-flight trouble

Frenchman abusive before boarding

Mike McIntyre, CanWest News Service

Published: Saturday, August 04

WINNIPEG - A Las Vegas man accused in a bizarre air-rage case will spend the long weekend sitting in a Winnipeg jail cell.

The case against Francois Vizard, 19, was adjourned until Tuesday, when he is expected to make a bail hearing before a provincial court judge.

Vizard is seeking permission to leave Canada and continue on to France, where his mother and brother live.

He has been in custody since Tuesday night when he was pulled off a London-bound flight after allegedly causing a violent disturbance.

Vizard is accused of confronting British passengers -- including dumping beer on a man and insulting his teeth -- which triggered an emergency landing that cost British Midland Airlines nearly $19,000.

Brian Gannon, a British passenger on the flight, said he ended up missing a funeral this week because of the four-hour delay caused by Vizard.

Gannon claims the airline shouldn't have let Vizard on the flight because he was already starting trouble while waiting to board in Las Vegas.

"A passenger said he had pushed her out of the way and called her a bitch," Gannon said Friday via e-mail.

He said the airline also made repeated announcements that "physical and verbal abuse are taken very seriously" in an apparent warning.

Vizard denied any wrongdoing and claimed to be the victim of British "discrimination" because he was the only American on the flight.

Las Vegas police are investigating allegations Vizard trashed his Nevada rental home prior to catching the flight.

Sourced from: © The Edmonton Journal 2007

Okay, I don't speak Spanish but seriously, WTF!

Spain’s a national air carrier Iberia pulled a sexist and racist ad that a consumer rights group deemed “offensive.” Though a spokeswoman for Iberia called the animated ad “completely trivial”, it’s hard not to argue with the indignation shown by Henry at Babalu Blog.

Here’s the ad in question via YouTube; judge for yourself if the ad is really “trivial”:

Perhaps this is an urban legend, but I have to post it anyway

Only because this is how my story should have gone for my neighbor and myself...

Reportedly a true story:

On a British Airways flight from Johannesburg, South Africa; a middle-aged, visibly well-off white South African lady found herself sitting next to a well dressed black gentleman.

She called the cabin attendant over to complain about her seating.

"What seems to be the problem, Madam?" asked the attendant.

"Can't you see?" she loudly snapped, "You've sat me next to a Kaffir. I can't possibly sit next to this disgusting man. Find me another seat!"

"Please try to be calm, Mam," the stewardess replied. "I believe the economy section is completely full today, but I'll go and check to see if we have any upgraded seats available in club or first class."

The woman cocked a snooty look at the outraged black man beside her (as well as many of the other nearby passengers). Minutes later the stewardess returned.

"Mam, as I suspected, economy is full. I've spoken to the cabin services director, and club is also full. However, we do have one seat in first class." Before the lady had a chance to answer, the stewardess continued: "Please realize, it is most extraordinary to make this kind of upgrade. I have had to get special permission from the captain. But, given the extreme circumstances, the captain felt that it was outrageous that one of our passengers should be forced to sit next such an obnoxious person."

The lady, cannot help but look at the people around her with a smug and self-satisfied grin.

With that, the stewardess turned to the black man and said: "Sir, if you'd like to get your things, I have your first-class seat ready for you..."

At which point, the surrounding passengers burst into a standing ovation while the man walked to the front of the plane.

Sourced from: matchdoctor.com

New EU rights for disabled, elderly air passengers

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Airlines or airports will no longer be allowed to deny elderly or disabled passengers from flying within the European Union under new EU rules which come into effect on Thursday.

Under further laws, to come into force on July 26 next year, passengers with reduced mobility will no longer be charged for extra assistance such as wheelchairs or help with guide dogs, which will be allowed on flights as part of the legislation.

Failure by airlines, airports or tour operators to comply with the new regulations could lead to sanctions and fines.

"These rules ... will put an end to discrimination and give disabled and elderly passengers the help they need," EU Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot said in a statement.

According to EU figures, 10 percent of the EU's 490 million citizens are affected by reduced mobility.

The new laws are in response to cases, particularly involving low-cost airlines, in which passengers with disabilities had been refused boarding passes or charged for extra costs involved in helping them board a flight.

Europe's largest low-cost carrier Ryanair demanded a disabled passenger pay to use a wheelchair in the airport in 2002.

Three years later it removed several blind passengers from a flight, claiming its could not allow more than four disabled people per flight.

Passengers will be required to file any complaints with the relevant airline or airport in the first instance, but if they do not receive satisfaction, they can take their complaint to one of the national centers being set up.

These 27 national authorities will be responsible for setting an implementing any punishments and will be policed by the EU executive in Brussels.

© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. | Learn more about Reuters

Former Employee Accuses Alitalia Of Discrimination

Claims He Was Forced To Discriminate Against Workers

A former employee of Italy's state-owned airline, Alitalia, is suing the carrier for discriminatory practices.

Francesco Gallo, the airline's former managing director of the North American division, filed a lawsuit recently requesting unspecified damages claiming he was forced to take discriminatory action against older workers, gays and lesbians during his employment with the company, according to the United Press International.

The June 20 lawsuit was filed in New York and states Gallo was prohibited from hiring certain types of people.

"All new employees must be young, no more than 30 years old, no gays, no lesbians and no blacks," Gallo says he was told.

When he protested this directive, Gallo said it was then assumed he was a homosexual prompting a supervisor, Giulio Libutti, to begin harassing the married father of four, the New York Post reported. Libutti was eventually transferred to Rome.

"To me, this man was very, very sick," said Gallo of the supervisor.

Gallo also claims the carrier, run by the Italian government, retaliated by filing sexual harassment charges against him.

Derek Smith, Gallo's attorney, contends the allegations were "all part of a conspiracy to set up" his client.

FMI: www.alitalia.com

Sourced from: aero news

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