Gay couple forced to move plane seats to make way for straight couple to sit together
#17
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,838
Kind of an inflammatory thread title when we don't know if discrimination had anything to do with this. Couple = two people. And how do we know the other couple is straight? Lots of assumptions about something that happens every day...
#18
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It's the title of the article linked to in the OP, and I completely agree with you on your other points.
#19
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#20
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"We will never be flying <fill in the blank> airline again"..... All businesses make mistakes or employees which do things incorrectly.
To me, it depends on how the business responds to my complaint that makes a difference.
That says, there is some missing information. The article indicated AS told it 2 couples were assigned the same seats.
How exactly would this happen unless someone manually overrode the computer. And, if the gay couple had valid boarding passes for the seats, and were able to board using them, why would they be kicked out of their seats?
To me, it depends on how the business responds to my complaint that makes a difference.
That says, there is some missing information. The article indicated AS told it 2 couples were assigned the same seats.
How exactly would this happen unless someone manually overrode the computer. And, if the gay couple had valid boarding passes for the seats, and were able to board using them, why would they be kicked out of their seats?
#21
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Issues with duplicate seats started up this year with the merger: AS / VX Dysfunction
#22
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The AS statement mentioned the seat in dispute was Premium Class (their caps) so likely within the main cabin.
#23
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The Points Guy's article even states that Alaska has a history and major support of the LGBT community.
#24
Join Date: Sep 2001
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well, the passenger's record has been 'scrubbed' and all the original comments are hidden or blocked from view by those who work for Alaska, including information on the flight's departure. Earlier this morning, friend said it was a "damn near book" of comments in the reservation. Alaska is definitely looking into this, but its also allowing a lot of rumors and mistruths to be going around.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
#25
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well, the passenger's record has been 'scrubbed' and all the original comments are hidden or blocked from view by those who work for Alaska, including information on the flight's departure. Earlier this morning, friend said it was a "damn near book" of comments in the reservation. Alaska is definitely looking into this, but its also allowing a lot of rumors and mistruths to be going around.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
#26
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Join Date: Sep 2011
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well, the passenger's record has been 'scrubbed' and all the original comments are hidden or blocked from view by those who work for Alaska, including information on the flight's departure. Earlier this morning, friend said it was a "damn near book" of comments in the reservation. Alaska is definitely looking into this, but its also allowing a lot of rumors and mistruths to be going around.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
Even I speculated it sounds like it could have been a buddy pass, as non-revs will sometimes try to act like they are entitled or don't know all the rules (I've seen this on many flights, were people will ask others to move for them - especially nonrevs).
It just didn't seem like Alaska would remove a customer from a plane over a seat assignment unless they caused a bit of a ruckus.
I used to live in LA and through a mutual friend of the pax, can confirm they were revenue, they voluntarily removed themselves, and AS isn't commenting because they're settling an employee's actions directly with the pax. The root of the problem was an IT failure, compounded by a customer service failure, plain and simple. You can find numerous other examples in this forum of the multitude of problems they have on their hands right now in this regard, especially since the merger.
#27
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
I mean, this weekend something similar happened to me and my partner (a gay couple). We are mvp-gold/mvp, and got in-flight upgraded from premium to first-class after we had already boarded (aparently 2 first-class pax didn't show up, clearing 2 more seats)? Anyways, we were sitting in 6E/6F, and I think the flight attendent got confused and came to our seat and by mistake asked me (6E) and the passenger in 6D to come up to first-class, leaving my gay husband back in row 6.
It was clear that the flight attendant had made a mistake when doing the in-flight upgrade after I checked the alaska app that it was actually me & my partner who should've been upgraded together (the app now showed a green checkmark against our waitlist). But by then it was a bit too late because the other pax had already gone ahead and sit in first class and we didn't want to make it awkward or cause a ruckus by asking them to come back on the mistake.
We didn't scream homophobia or anything, and just flew separately with me in first class and husband in premium because honestly it wasn't that big a deal.
It was clear that the flight attendant had made a mistake when doing the in-flight upgrade after I checked the alaska app that it was actually me & my partner who should've been upgraded together (the app now showed a green checkmark against our waitlist). But by then it was a bit too late because the other pax had already gone ahead and sit in first class and we didn't want to make it awkward or cause a ruckus by asking them to come back on the mistake.
We didn't scream homophobia or anything, and just flew separately with me in first class and husband in premium because honestly it wasn't that big a deal.
Last edited by nomiiiii; Jul 30, 2018 at 9:35 pm
#28
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I mean, this weekend something similar happened to me and my partner (a gay couple). We are mvp-gold/mvp, and got in-flight upgraded from premium to first-class after we had already boarded (aparently 2 first-class pax didn't show up, clearing 2 more seats)? Anyways, we were sitting in 6E/6F, and I think the flight attendent got confused and came to our seat and by mistake asked me (6E) and the passenger in 6D to come up to first-class, leaving my gay husband back in row 6.
It was clear that the flight attendant had made a mistake when doing the in-flight upgrade after I checked the alaska app that it was actually me & my partner who should've been upgraded together. But by then it was a bit too late because the other pax had already gone ahead and sit in first class and we didn't want to make it awkward or cause a ruckus by asking them to come back on the mistake.
We didn't scream homophobia or anything, and just flew separately because honestly it wasn't that big a deal.
It was clear that the flight attendant had made a mistake when doing the in-flight upgrade after I checked the alaska app that it was actually me & my partner who should've been upgraded together. But by then it was a bit too late because the other pax had already gone ahead and sit in first class and we didn't want to make it awkward or cause a ruckus by asking them to come back on the mistake.
We didn't scream homophobia or anything, and just flew separately because honestly it wasn't that big a deal.
#29
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
It was similar in that we could've easily cried "oh my god how can you not see we are a gay couple travelling together, how can you assume that only one of us gets upgraded and not the other one, how can you make this mistake of not knowing we are travelling together as a gay couple so should be upgraded together omg omg omg!"
Maybe some day I'll throw down a big whiny gay drama and become youtube infamous.
Maybe some day I'll throw down a big whiny gay drama and become youtube infamous.
#30
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 113
Definitely a Corbyn[1] style act for money, points or embrace the cause who knows. Unless they were wearing rainbow t-shirts, friendship bracelets and holding hands how were the flight to know? And I'd wager flight crew to be least homophobic people in the industry. Still ignoring the gay part, moving someone to seat a couple together is just silly.
[1] https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about...ervice-1530005
[1] https://www.virgintrains.co.uk/about...ervice-1530005
Last edited by mattspod; Jul 31, 2018 at 3:10 am