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Gay airline employee told he cannot use his free tickets

Rob Anders of La Mirada, California, is a long-time airline industry employee. At his company's Christmas party, Anders won a pair of round-trip airline tickets from Northwest Airlines, to be used by him and a companion. He chose his partner of fifteen years, and they decided to use the free trip to visit Anders' mother and attend a family reunion in Florida. The airline, however, refused to accept Anders' partner as the other passenger. A Northwest representative said that the airline would recognize only a spouse, another airline employee, or a dependent child as a "companion."

There is plenty wrong with this picture. It is unknown whether Northwest included this strange caveat in the fine print at the Christmas party drawing, but the assumption is that it did not. But let's say that somehow, the restriction was announced; what an odd restriction. Let's say Anders was heterosexual and wanted to take his girlfriend on the trip: according to Northwest, he could not. Let's say he wanted to take his brother on the trip; according to Northwest, he could not.

These issues are interesting, but they are not as important as the fact that Northwest was willing to permit a spouse to accompany the winner of the drawing. Under Califnornia law, 'full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, or services in all business establishments of every kind whatsoever' without regard to sexual orientation or marital status" must be granted to all citizens. A letter sent to the airline from the ACLU of Southern California states that:

Because same-sex couples who wish to marry cannot currently do so under California law, using marriage as a criterion discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation. Northwest's policy also discriminates on the basis of marital status because it does not permit unmarried heterosexual individuals to bring the companion of their choice.

Anders and his partner registered as domestic partners in 2004, but the airline representative specifically stated that Northwest would not accept a domestic partner in lieu of a spouse.

Posted by Diane E. Dees on 02/15/06 at 10:17 PM | E-mail | Print | Digg this | de.licio.us

Comments

Gay airline employee cannot use ticket. SO WHAT!
I don't know why you're making an issue out of this person being 'gay' because he cannot use his airlines tickets. Even if he wasn't gay, he still couldn't use them for any person he wants to. Every airline has a certain amount of tickets for their employees. However, they have to abide by the standards of rules and regulations of who you can let travel on your name. It seems everyone in society now is fighting every company, be it airlines or not,of their policies, rules and regulations. Just because this person is gay doesn't give him anymore rights than anyone else. What is wrong with this picture.

Posted by: FrannieB on 02/17/06 at 12:37 PM

What is wrong with this picture? If the Northwest airline employee was heterosexual and had been married he could have taken his spouse with him with no problem. However, since he was not heterosexual, and unable to marry his partner of 15 years, I find this discriminatory. Furthermore, the tickets that he won were for him and a companion, making liars out of Northwest airline. Northwest Airlines needs to get straight.

Posted by: Suzanne C on 02/17/06 at 12:54 PM

So what, you ask?

I'll tell you. Yes, airlines do have plenty of restrictions
and they make certain the rules are clear.

When they say companions, they do not mean spouses or relatives only--if they did it would have stated that.

As a matter of fact, these types of tickets are often used by friends, not relatives. They are meant for exactly what they state--"companions".

It is a case of outright discrimination. I hope that either the airline makes amends to the person or a lawsuit is brought against the airline.

Posted by: Paula A. on 02/17/06 at 2:14 PM

Canadians reading this story are likely to enjoying the irony of the fact that the man discriminated against is named "Rob Anders". You see, OUR Rob Anders is a homophobic Conservative Member of Parliament who just a few years ago refused to support giving a national honour to Nelson Mandela because he was "a terrorist".

Posted by: Scott Piatkowski on 02/17/06 at 6:29 PM

I have a friend who works in baggage for Northwest Airlines. He's allowed a certain number of tickets for himself and family members and non-family members can fly at a reduced price. All such tickets are "standby."

Personally, I think I have grounds for a lawsuit. You see, my friend is married, and he has two kids by his current wife and one by his ex-wife. Michigan law prohibits me from marrying a married man. Therefore, Northwest's policy is discriminatory (I'm applying Suzanne's logic).

Get real, people. Northwest is a private company. It's their airplanes, and it's their tickets. Therefore, it's their right to refuse service to anyone they want for any reason. They're not asking the blacks to sit at the back of the bus!

Posted by: MikeH on 02/18/06 at 3:16 PM

If the tickets were for "him and a companion" then it shouldn't matter who the companion is at all--family or not.

Northwest messed up bigtime, and it's sad---they had a not-terrible rating for being gay-friendly--a 71

Posted by: amberglow on 02/20/06 at 2:37 AM

oops---hrc link: http://www.gay.com/business/cpd/profile.html?id=3521&skip=1

Posted by: amberglow on 02/20/06 at 2:38 AM

I have one of those northwest airlines award letter with me right now that was won at a christmas party and the only people it says are eligible are spouse,dependent children.

How can Northwest and KLM be so close yet there values are world apart. Every award letter that i've won from a European carrier allows everyone.. unlike the American airlines. No wonder they all going bankrupt.

Posted by: Chris on 03/05/06 at 6:25 PM