Gay couple forced to give up plane seat to straight couple

[left-of-center2012]

David Cooley, an American businessman, was flying from New York to Los Angeles on an Alaska Airlines flight with his partner when the incident occurred. His partner was told he had to move to the main cabin from his Premium seat as a straight couple wanted to sit together. He was told that he would either have to move or leave the plane.

“After my travelling companion and I had been seated in our assigned seats for a while, we were approached by the flight attendant and my companion was asked to move from his premium seat to coach, so a couple could sit together.

“I explained that we were a couple and wanted to sit together. He was given a choice to either give up the premium seat and move to coach or get off the plane. “We could not bear the feeling of humiliation for an entire cross-country flight and left the plane. I cannot believe that an airline in this day and age would give a straight couple preferential treatment over a gay couple and go so far as to ask us to leave.”

In a statement to GSN, a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines confirmed that the incident had taken place. “When boarding flight 1407 from JFK to LAX, a couple was mistakenly assigned the same seats as another couple in Premium Class,” the statement said. “We reseated one of the guests from Premium Class in the Main Cabin.

“We are deeply sorry for the situation, and are investigating the details while communicating directly with the guests involved to try and make this right.”

https://tinyurl.com/y9rqyv7e

[Phoenix61]

1. I don't fly a whole lot but

every flight I've been on the computer blocks the seat once it's been assigned. So they either have some really, really crappy software or they are lying through their teeth.

[RoBear]

2. Sue the bastards!!!

n/t

[greymattermom]

3. How about free travel for anywhere the airline goes for a year.

As a start. Also, guaranteed seats together.

[LisaM]

4. I sympathize, but there is one piece of information missing from this article.

Had one couple paid for the premium seating, while the other couple hadn't? I'm curious, because from my experience with airlines, how much you paid for the seat takes precedence over other criteria, and this article doesn't say.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. I likewise think some information is missing.

The person who paid for the premium seat will always take preference over the upgraded passenger.

Some years back I'd bought first class seats on a flight across country. My first flight ran late, so I just made it to the gate for the second flight right before they were going to close the doors. They'd upgraded someone from coach to my seat, and I insisted I get the seat I'd paid for. They wanted me to take a coach seat and apply for a refund, and I was pretty sure (former airline employee, I understand how seats are priced) I'd be lucky to get twenty bucks back. I wasn't obnoxious, didn't pitch a fit, but I was insistent.

[LisaM]

6. Alaska has a good reputation with the LBGT community, too.

They sponsor the Seattle Men's Chorus, and they flew families to Orlando after the Pulse shooting, so I just feel as if we're not getting the entire story here.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Absolutely.

I was an airline ticket agent for some ten years, and I can assure you that often when a passenger is outraged at something the airline has done, they're leaving out important aspects of the story.

[CanonRay]

7. Paging Mr. Avenatti. Paging Mr. Avenatti.