I haven't seen this reported by the mainstream media anywhere, which is troubling because (a) there's supposed to be a "liberal media bias" (if you listen to the conservatives, that is), and (b) I think it's a big deal. And yes, I glance over Google News and CNN (among other newspapers/sites) fairly frequently. I have seen it in the blogosphere, at Pandagon, and I've briefly posted on it at Unreal City and Liberal Avenger as well.
Rob Anders, an airline industry employee, recently won free airfare for himself and "a companion." Northwest Airlines refused him to cash in the tickets for himself and his registered domestic partner. A Northwest representative told Anders that they would only recognize a spouse, dependent child, or another airline employee as a travel companion. The representative specifically stated Northwest Airlines would not recognize a registered domestic partner as a "spouse" for the tickets. Besides simply being insane or absurd, this is illegal.
If you give me a choice between flying Northwest and flying Jet Blue (or any other airline of your choice) in the future, I know which one I'm flying. Here's hoping this becomes a big story and puts Bigots Air out of business.
I am quite surprised by this. The airlines industry employs large number of gays. Also, headquartered in Minneapolis, a progressive place, one would have thought that NWA would be above such pettiness.
Posted by: Ruchira Paul | February 12, 2006 at 10:06 PM
Me too. Especially because first and foremost, they're a business (a business in financial trouble, even) that needs to be concerned with profit. Bad publicity on an issue like this (if the MSM ever picks up the story) can't help things financially, I would think. It just seems so stupid!
Posted by: Joe | February 12, 2006 at 11:08 PM