Airline Seating Policy 'Demonizes' Men

[Bonnie]

Airline Seating Policy 'Demonizes' Men
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
November 29, 2005

(CNSNews.com) -- Two airlines "down under" are under fire after acknowledging their policy of not allowing an unaccompanied child passenger to sit next to a man.

The policy emerged when a New Zealand man said he was asked by airline staff to move because an unaccompanied minor had been assigned the seat next to him.

Mark Worsley was told to swap seats with a woman sitting nearby, who then moved into the seat next to the boy, about eight years old, for the 80-minute flight.

"I was pretty shocked -- I think most people would be," the 37-year-old shipping manager and father of two said Tuesday.

"I complied straight away and moved seats. But as I sat on the plane during the flight I got more and more angry about it."

Part of the problem, Worsley said, was that the plane was full. When the flight attendant arranged the seat swap, "certainly there was enough disruption that people in the immediate vicinity would have heard what was going on. I felt totally embarrassed."

He had later confronted the airline staff, who confirmed the company policy.

Worsley said someone asked him after the event why he had not simply refused to move. "But these days you can't really do that. With [fears of] terrorism, if you cause any fuss on the plane you're out walking."

"Most males in the world, I'm sure, are perfectly law-abiding, good parents, good fathers, brothers, whatever," he said. "They're basically accusing half the population of the world of being a potential pedophile."

Worsley had been traveling on a flight operated by Qantas, the Australian national carrier. Both Qantas and Air New Zealand have now confirmed that they would not seat a child traveling alone next to an adult male passenger.

Worsley came forward following the recent decision by New Zealand's opposition National Party to name one of its lawmakers, Wayne Mapp, as a spokesman on eradicating "political correctness."

Mapp, whose appointment to the post drew ridicule from the left, has invited New Zealanders to come forward with information about practices they perceive to be "PC," primarily those carried out by the Labor government.

Worsley was one of those who had approached him.

Mapp said the airline policy implied that children were not safe sitting next to men.

He found rare common ground with a left-leaning lawmaker, Keith Locke of the Green Party, who said Tuesday that airlines should recognize that "men are people too."

Decrying what he called "the moral panic about men being a potential threat to children," Locke said it was "prejudicial to presume that men can't be trusted to have contact with children unless they are related to them or are specially trained."

He said the incident clearly is a breach of New Zealand's Human Rights Act -- which prohibits discrimination on the grounds of gender -- and he asked a government human rights commissioner to investigate.

more
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2005/november/1129_airline_men1.shtml

What are your opinons about this???

 

[archangel]

Airline Seating Policy 'Demonizes' Men
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
November 29, 2005



more
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2005/november/1129_airline_men1.shtml

What are your opinons about this???

in todays world I can understand the airlines concern and policy...better safe than sorry...I can also feel for the shipping manager and father of two for his embarrassment...I think the airlines could have avoided the problem by assigning the seats prior to boarding though!

 

[Annie]

I think that sucks! Unless they had a reason to think he would harm the child, that is unfair. It's up to the airlines, who've assumed the responsibility of loco parentus, to ensure the safety of the child, not to foist that onto another, in this case a woman.

Wrong.

 

[dilloduck]

Airline Seating Policy 'Demonizes' Men
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
November 29, 2005



more
http://www.gopusa.com/news/2005/november/1129_airline_men1.shtml

What are your opinons about this???

I think it's just another example of the LONG trend of demonizing men. And people wonder what's happening to fathers these days.

 

[Gem]

It is absurd to think that a woman is somehow more able to look after a complete stranger's child better than a man...to ask a member of EITHER sex to spend their airplane trip (which they paid exorbitantly for and probably aren't looking forward to to begin with!) babysitting because the flight attendants don't feel like it is ludicrous.

Either the airline can accept responsibility for the child sitting alone next to whoever they sit next to (or the flight attendants will take responsibility for checking on the child regularly) OR the airline has to accept the consequences of NOT taking unattended children on their planes!!!

Sorry...but male or female...a person flying on a plane did NOT check a little box on travelocity or unitedair.com "Yes, I'm willing to babysit an unattended minor." And since that little box isn't available to check OR NOT check...I should not be expected to do the airlines dirty work.

 

[dilloduck]

It is absurd to think that a woman is somehow more able to look after a complete stranger's child better than a man...to ask a member of EITHER sex to spend their airplane trip (which they paid exorbitantly for and probably aren't looking forward to to begin with!) babysitting because the flight attendants don't feel like it is ludicrous.

Either the airline can accept responsibility for the child sitting alone next to whoever they sit next to (or the flight attendants will take responsibility for checking on the child regularly) OR the airline has to accept the consequences of NOT taking unattended children on their planes!!!

Sorry...but male or female...a person flying on a plane did NOT check a little box on travelocity or unitedair.com "Yes, I'm willing to babysit an unattended minor." And since that little box isn't available to check OR NOT check...I should not be expected to do the airlines dirty work.

Gosh--you think it was safe for a male to even FLY the plane??? or fuel the plane?? or load the baggage??
These silly little attempts to "protect" the world from men are biting us all in the ass.

 

[Annie]

Gosh--you think it was safe for a male to even FLY the plane??? or fuel the plane?? or load the baggage??
These silly little attempts to "ptotect" the world from men are biting us all in the ass.

Nah, kill them all! No one else would say that, let it be me! BBBbwwwwaaahhhhhaaaaaaa

 

[Hobbit]

It's just the outgrowth of modern feminism. These brats have basically convinced themselves that having a penis should be considered a felony. Now that somebody brings it up, there's only one time I've ever seen a male sitting next to an unattended kid on a flight (and I've flown quite a bit). It was me, and I was wearing Naval Academy clothes because it was all I had...and I was using crutches...and looked like I hadn't slept well in weeks (I hadn't). I got put next to a kid on both legs of the flight and was more than happy to babysit, but can certainly understand the trauma of being stuck next to somebody else's brat for 3 hours. If somebody had expressed to me that they thought a woman should've sat next to him instead of me, I would have protested.

 

[Bonnie]

Gem..to ask a member of EITHER sex to spend their airplane trip (which they paid exorbitantly for and probably aren't looking forward to to begin with!) babysitting because the flight attendants don't feel like it is ludicrous

.


Isn't that the truth!!! I can't even stand going out to restaurants anymore because I wind up watching other people's children for them. In one case a toddler was standing up in her booster seat while her parents ignored it, sure enough she fell backwards and luckily because I was in the booth adjacent to their table and directly behind the baby I was able to catch her. The whole meal I was a wreck thinking she would do it again...

 

[dilloduck]

.


Isn't that the truth!!! I can't even stand going out to restaurants anymore because I wind up watching other people's children for them. In one case a toddler was standing up in her booster seat while her parents ignored it, sure enough she fell backwards and luckily because I was in the booth adjacent to their table and directly behind the baby I was able to catch her. The whole meal I was a wreck thinking she would do it again...

Would you prefer that they look at you as if you were some kind of child molester and keep their kid as far away from you as possible?

 

[Bonnie]

Would you prefer that they look at you as if you were some kind of child molester and keep their kid as far away from you as possible?

No but I would have liked for them to be the ones that kept their child from cracking her skull open because they were too lazy to watch her. And when I become a parent I will return that favor by watching my own kids as well and allowing other people to enjoy their dinner out. :

 

[dilloduck]

No but I would have liked for them to be the ones that kept their child from cracking her skull open because they were too lazy to watch her. And when I become a parent I will return that favor by watching my own kids as well and allowing other people to enjoy their dinner out. :

I think the point that Hobbit and I are trying to make here is how horrible it is to teach children to be afraid of men. When you experience that "look" it's really shitty.

 

[007]

Nah, kill them all! No one else would say that, let it be me! BBBbwwwwaaahhhhhaaaaaaa

:rotflmao:

 

[007]

Either the airline can accept responsibility for the child sitting alone next to whoever they sit next to (or the flight attendants will take responsibility for checking on the child regularly) OR the airline has to accept the consequences of NOT taking unattended children on their planes!!!

Sorry...but male or female...a person flying on a plane did NOT check a little box on travelocity or unitedair.com "Yes, I'm willing to babysit an unattended minor." And since that little box isn't available to check OR NOT check...I should not be expected to do the airlines dirty work.

I agree with you Gem.

If the airline is going to continue with this rediculous, discriminitory policy, then it should be made known, CLEARLY. It should be on your ticket, and questions should be asked when your seating is being arranged. To ask someone to move once they've been seated, just because there's some unescorted punk sitting next to you is absurd. Unless of course, you are a "CONVICTED PEDOPHILE"!

I also agree there's some "man bashing" going on here.

 

[nosarcasm]

I think the point that Hobbit and I are trying to make here is how horrible it is to teach children to be afraid of men. When you experience that "look" it's really shitty.

because of the paranoia around child molesters I dont talk or smile at children.

If anyone accuses you as a man and wants to mess with you, the police
to be on the safeside might investigate you. An investigation alone would
ruin your name.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

i dunno. I wouldn't let my child fly without me or his dad, or a family member, or at least someone we know, say a friend of his whose parent's want to take them on vacation or something. Even then, I would be wary unless I knew them very well.

If he DID fly alone, I guess I would be uneasy with him sitting next to a male passenger, than a female. I guess it is because I always hear child molesters being guys, with a few exceptions being women, but fact is, females are less likely to do that kind of thing.

Its not that I am trying to teach my son to be afraid of men in general. If we could lock up or execute the convicted sex offenders, maybe I would have less to worry about, though there are plenty out there who have never been caught. I guess I am not wanting to put my son in a position where he has to defend himself from something like that.

Besides, my son is like his dad, a ladies' man. He's already kissing girls, and he tends to be more comfortable and less shy around strange women that men. He freaked out when trying to get him to see Santa this year, which I completely expected and didn't make him sit there or get pics.

 

[Hobbit]

i dunno. I wouldn't let my child fly without me or his dad, or a family member, or at least someone we know, say a friend of his whose parent's want to take them on vacation or something. Even then, I would be wary unless I knew them very well.

If he DID fly alone, I guess I would be uneasy with him sitting next to a male passenger, than a female. I guess it is because I always hear child molesters being guys, with a few exceptions being women, but fact is, females are less likely to do that kind of thing.

Its not that I am trying to teach my son to be afraid of men in general. If we could lock up or execute the convicted sex offenders, maybe I would have less to worry about, though there are plenty out there who have never been caught. I guess I am not wanting to put my son in a position where he has to defend himself from something like that.

Besides, my son is like his dad, a ladies' man. He's already kissing girls, and he tends to be more comfortable and less shy around strange women that men. He freaked out when trying to get him to see Santa this year, which I completely expected and didn't make him sit there or get pics.

Actually, there are a lot of female child molesters, but because they use manipulation rather than force, they get labeled as "forbidden lovers" instead. I'm sure you've heard of that rash of teachers that have been having sex with underage students. Those women are child molestors. Then, there's one more thing to consider. The airline escorts the kid from the ticket counter to the plane, and from the plane to the terminal. They don't leave the kid until they find the parents. The only time the kid is unsupervised by the airline is mid-flight, and what do you think the guy's gonna do mid-flight with dozens of people within arm's reach?

 

[dilloduck]

because of the paranoia around child molesters I dont talk or smile at children.

If anyone accuses you as a man and wants to mess with you, the police
to be on the safeside might investigate you. An investigation alone would
ruin your name.

Kids are attracted to me like ducks are to water and I'll be damned if I'll turn my back on em simply because I'm a male. There are several of my son's freinds who use me as a surrogate father at times and I have been able to help them substantially. Kids need the influence of the things a man can bring to parenting. Why demonize them.
Underage children flying alone is a separate issue and an individual parenting decision in my opinion. I, for one, would be glad to accompany a child---they make much better traveling mates than some "adults" I have had to sit next to.

 

[dmp]

If the guy on the plane was black, he'd have a lawsuit on his hands.

(shrug).

 

[dilloduck]

If the guy on the plane was black, he'd have a lawsuit on his hands.

(shrug).

White men should too---it's called profiling !