Owner of The Abbey Discriminated Against by Alaska Airlines

[TotallyOz]

You will not see me on another Alaska Airlines flight!

https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/gay-couple-bumped-airline-seats-make-room-straight-couple-n895846

[RA1]

You might as well not ride on any airline.  The airline did not do this, some idiot at the gate did.

Best regards,

RA1

[TotallyOz]

7 minutes ago, RA1 said:

You might as well not ride on any airline.  The airline did not do this, some idiot at the gate did.

Best regards,

RA1

Then, I'd like to see that idiot fired.

[TotallyOz]

BTW: I have given up my seat voluntarily many times so that couples and families can sit together. However, being forced to move from one class to another is unacceptable just to keep a couple together. If you want to be together, book and reserve together.  Otherwise, spend a few hours apart or ask for volunteers.  I hate the games airlines play!

BTW: I did give up my seat for a honeymoon couple once even though I didn't want to but no one in first volunteered.  The flight attendant could do nothing so I volunteered and he gave me 60,000 miles. That is the way to treat someone.  Not forcing them to move from their plans. IMHO

[RA1]

Many airlines to include Alaska. American, Delta, FEDEX, UPS and many, many others support the National Gay Pilots Association.  I realize that anyone can contribute money and businesses often contribute to both the Democrats and Republicans but, in my opinion, the airlines have no dog in this hunt other than they need to recruit pilots.  Just thought you might like to know this.

Best regards,

RA1

[Tartegogo]

Seems the seats were allocated twice.

https://onemileatatime.com/did-alaska-airlines-discriminate-against-a-gay-couple/

They had to be given up by somebody. I am not sure the rules about who gets preferential treatment, probably the passenger who has the most miles, or the longest history of travel with this airline, but I can’t imagine the rule is “straights first”. 

Anyway for any airline to allocate the same seat twice is really crappy organisation. Don’t they have an IT system that prevents them to do that? I mean, it is programming 101. 

[tassojunior]

This is sort of like the United incident of the doctor being told to give up his seat he was already in. (of course he was dragged off the plane). 

Airlines need to be more cautious when someone is already seated. It's much worse to be told to give up your seat than to be denied boarding to it. That's common. Being unseated isn't. 

I suspect there's more of the story to come and someone's angling for a big settlement. 

LA to NY is a crowded route with many power players as passengers. 

[Lucky]

Inexcusable behavior on the part of Alaska Airlines. Let the straight couple leave the plane.

[tassojunior]

7 minutes ago, Lucky said:

Inexcusable behavior on the part of Alaska Airlines. Let the straight couple leave the plane.

This was actually a Virgin America plane and crew; the closest we had to a "gay airline". 

[RockHardNYC]

18 hours ago, TotallyOz said:

I have given up my seat voluntarily many times so that couples and families can sit together.

It hasn't been many for me, but I, too, have done it. However, I would never give up First or Business to go to Coach. That would NEVER happen without a war, and I can assure you, it will be a war I win.

15 hours ago, tassojunior said:

Airlines need to be more cautious when someone is already seated.

I agree.

[RA1]

Years ago when I flew the airlines very often there was never any issue about giving up seats.  The flights were never full or almost never.  I can only recall one flight during that time when the flight was full and that was the day before Thanksgiving when I needed to get from NY to Memphis via Atlanta.  Regardless, I still got on the flight.  

Now I have no wish to fly on the airlines.  I would rather fly in a 200 MPH light aircraft that will get me where I am going within about 700 miles sooner than the airlines.  

However, I have, in years past, flown on the airlines on a buddy pass which meant we were subject to being removed at any time until the doors were finally closed.  The emotions were rampant until that final moment.  Then, we all relaxed, took off our ties and coats and settled in for a long flight.  I remember being annoyed when a group of 5 guys decided that they did not want to fly for 12+ hours to NZ and asked to get off.  This delayed the flight for many minutes while the ground guys opened several containers of luggage (this being a 747-400) to find their luggage.  Finally we were off.  

Several points being:  the airlines oversell their seats these days so very often someone will be left behind.  Airline miles are not what they appeared to be and very were actually, so upgrades, etc. can easily be illusions, the bottom line is much more important that customer service so buyer beware.

Best regards,

RA1

[RockHardNYC]

22 minutes ago, RA1 said:

the bottom line is much more important that customer service so buyer beware

It seems to be the current trend. I hope it doesn't last too long. It's not the trend with every business, but the great ones are becoming more rare.