flacaltenn
Diamond Member
Interesting story today about a woman who was bumped from her seat, because 2 Pakistani monks did not not want to be seated next to a woman. This is the type of "religious accommodation" that is dangerous when it conflicts with American values about equality. Not serious if handled quietly and VOLUNTARILY. Plenty of room on a airliner to make these adjustments. But to bump a Million Mile flyer because a couple of guys are no fun and don't want to adhere to OUR culture --- is a bit disturbing.
Before anyone jumps to conclusion about it being a Pakistani thing, READ THE 2nd link.. It's not..
Calif. woman: Airline changed my seat to honor Pakistani monks' religious beliefs
COTO DE CAZA, Calif. -- A Southern California woman said she is the victim of discrimination, CBS Los Angeles reports. Mary Campos said her pre-booked ticket was given away by United Airlines. The reason? She’s a woman, and two men didn’t want to sit next to a female.
A million-mile flier, Campos, a mom who lives in Coto de Caza, said she thought she’d seen it all - until a gate agent handed her a new boarding pass just before she got on a flight to Houston last Monday.
She was shocked.
“I thought I lived in a culture where females were equal to men,” she said.
Campos is a senior consultant in the oil and gas industry. She said she had no choice but to take her new seat assignment.
That’s when she said she wrote a letter to the CEO of United Airlines.
The letter said, in part, “What if I were handicapped or transgender? What if your entire flight crew were female? Any belief that prevents individuals from interacting with females should not travel on commercial aircraft.”
She got a reply that said United would look into it. She said she didn’t hear from them again. “We can’t discriminate against half the population,” Campos said, “for a belief from another nation.”
CBS Los Angeles asked Campos if she intended on suing the airline, and she said that was not her intention. But she did want two things from United:
1) Apologize to every female that was on that plane, including their employees.
2) Change their policy.
The 2nd link shows that this issue has ALSO come with Orthodox Jewish men traveling on domestic flights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/u...-over-seat-assignments-and-religion.html?_r=0
Not cool..
Before anyone jumps to conclusion about it being a Pakistani thing, READ THE 2nd link.. It's not..
Calif. woman: Airline changed my seat to honor Pakistani monks' religious beliefs
COTO DE CAZA, Calif. -- A Southern California woman said she is the victim of discrimination, CBS Los Angeles reports. Mary Campos said her pre-booked ticket was given away by United Airlines. The reason? She’s a woman, and two men didn’t want to sit next to a female.
A million-mile flier, Campos, a mom who lives in Coto de Caza, said she thought she’d seen it all - until a gate agent handed her a new boarding pass just before she got on a flight to Houston last Monday.
She was shocked.
“I thought I lived in a culture where females were equal to men,” she said.
Campos is a senior consultant in the oil and gas industry. She said she had no choice but to take her new seat assignment.
That’s when she said she wrote a letter to the CEO of United Airlines.
The letter said, in part, “What if I were handicapped or transgender? What if your entire flight crew were female? Any belief that prevents individuals from interacting with females should not travel on commercial aircraft.”
She got a reply that said United would look into it. She said she didn’t hear from them again. “We can’t discriminate against half the population,” Campos said, “for a belief from another nation.”
CBS Los Angeles asked Campos if she intended on suing the airline, and she said that was not her intention. But she did want two things from United:
1) Apologize to every female that was on that plane, including their employees.
2) Change their policy.
The 2nd link shows that this issue has ALSO come with Orthodox Jewish men traveling on domestic flights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/10/u...-over-seat-assignments-and-religion.html?_r=0
Not cool..