Hmmmm .... not a happy camper.

[SAdler]

I've opted to be loyal to American the past couple years. I've also accrued enough mileage this year to be only a few thousand miles away from executive platinum status with them. I'd imagine there are some people in these forums that are in the same boat.

 

When I read my New Yorker today I noticed this disgusting news:

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/content/articles/060925ta_talk_collins

 

Here is a link to their customer relations feedback forum:

 

https://www.aa.com/apps/utility/contactAA/EmailCustomerRelations.jhtml?_requestid=2258918

 

I urge everyone to write to American Airlines REMINDING them who has the I still believe greatest overall expendable income of any group in this nation.

[Guest zipperzone]

I started to reply to AA complaint site but gave up as they wanted way too much information and I couldn't be bothered filling it all in.

 

I find their employee'sattitude on that flight to be reprehensible. If I had been the passenger in question I would have been tempted to continue to stand up for my rights and if the pilot was stupid enough to divert the flight - so be it. When it was all over, he would have looked like a fool.

 

Whether I would actually have had the balls to do that is questionable, but I sure would have liked to.

 

I hope this gets enough press that AA is forced to offer an public apology to these passengers. If the New Yorker found it interesting enough to print, perhaps it will.

 

Fly American? - I think not!

[SAdler]

>I couldn't be bothered

>filling it all in.

 

>I hope this gets enough press that AA is forced to offer an

>public apology to these passengers. If the New Yorker found it

>interesting enough to print, perhaps it will.

 

Hello! LOL. Contradicting yourself much? WRITE THE LETTER

 

Hee hee. Dont do it on their form, there's gotta be an actual address to snail mail a letter to.

[+ ArVaGuy]

Obviously there were no gays on the flight crew. A rarity for AA. :+

 

Seriously though, this is reprehensible but not entirely surprising to me. American Airlines does not exactly have one of the friendliest flight attendant crews in my experience as a frequent traveler. Northwest is even worse but that's a another discussion on another message forum.

 

IMO the crew was out of line and this had more to do with personal issues than policy. The unfortunate thing is they used the treat of diverting the plane to intimidate the passengers. It would have been the passengers word against the crew's and such an incident would have made major news. "Terrorist Threat: Two Men Kissing Diverts Plane" would have been the headline.

 

Complaining to AA directly will likely not have much of an effect. Sorry to be so negative but airlines are not exactly customer focused these days. Oh, AA will release some kind of statement saying they are "committed to diversity and that all their passengers can expect to fly in comfort and safety" but don't expect much more than that.

 

Perhaps the passengers will get an apology but don't look for a major mea culpa. It's an airline. Don't get me wrong, I will call my company's AA rep and file a complaint but given how many staff they cut there may not be anyone to read it.

 

And speaking of other forums. Here's al link to http://www.flyertalk.com which is a site dedicated to frequent travelers. I find very useful in planning and finding out details about my prefered airline United. Just about every major airline and FF program has it's own forum and there's tons of informmation. Serious travelers should check it out. (Ok, that's twice this week I posted links to FT, I'll stop with the commericals.)

 

I have posted a couple of links here to the discussions in their forum about the issue.

 

From the GLBT Forum on FT

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603718

 

From the AA FF Froum

 

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603472

[danknight2005]

Dan Knight 2005

 

I travel often and find little difference in the major airlines.

I'm hoping they will someday raise their rates and offer much beter service to the traveling public.

[paulsf]

I am Exective Platinum with American, with over 3 million miles flown. I have seen some bad flight crews, but never anything like this. I really think that there is a lot more to this story than the reporter is giving us.

[Guest zipperzone]

>>I couldn't be bothered

>>filling it all in.

>

>>I hope this gets enough press that AA is forced to offer an

>>public apology to these passengers. If the New Yorker found

>it

>>interesting enough to print, perhaps it will.

>

>Hello! LOL. Contradicting yourself much? WRITE THE

>LETTER

>

>Hee hee. Dont do it on their form, there's gotta be an actual

>address to snail mail a letter to.

 

I don't think I am contradicting myself at all. I was objecting to the amount of background info their stupid form required as mandetory information. None of their fucking business.

 

And any letter I write has nothing to do with the amount of public press that will be required to shame them into an apology. It should be a topic on Leno & Letterman and Larry King would help as well. I would also like to see Anderson Cooper bring it up but he won't because he is too focused on King George's war right now and anyway he is avoiding any gay stuff due to his own orientation and the fact that his contract with CNN does not allow him to coment on his own sexuality.

 

If I had an actual snail mail address for AA I probably would write but I do object to the info they want on their stupid form.

[dfw2sfo]

It seems like AA markets to us a lot but doesn't always train their staff what to do with us (how to keep us happy) once they get us on their planes.

 

Betty Young and George Carrancho are in charge of GLBT marketing for AA. Their contact info is below. Then, below that I've listed customer service contacts who can also be contacted by email below or at the same snail mail address as George and Betty(minus the MD4412). The telephone number for Bentel, Richardi and Arpey is a general number but this should enable you to contact to your satisfactions by email without any hassles.

 

Keep your calls and letters coming...

 

Betty J. Young

betty.young@aa.com

4255 Amon Carter Blvd., MD4412

Fort Worth, TX 76155

(817) 963-3705

 

 

George Carrancho

george.carrancho@aa.com

4255 Amon Carter Blvd., MD4412

Fort Worth, TX 76155

817-931-9775

 

Primary contact

Sean Bentel

Manager, customer relations

(817) 963-1234

sean.bentel@aa.com

 

Secondary contact (*)

Ralph Richardi

Senior vice president, customer services

(817) 963-1234

ralph.richardi@aa.com

 

Chief executive (*)

Gerard J. Arpey

President and chief executive officer

(817) 963-1234

gerard.arpey@aa.com

[seaboy4hire]

>Obviously there were no gays on the flight crew. A rarity

>for AA. :+

>

>Seriously though, this is reprehensible but not entirely

>surprising to me. American Airlines does not exactly have one

>of the friendliest flight attendant crews in my experience as

>a frequent traveler. Northwest is even worse but that's a

>another discussion on another message forum.

>

>IMO the crew was out of line and this had more to do with

>personal issues than policy. The unfortunate thing is they

>used the treat of diverting the plane to intimidate the

>passengers. It would have been the passengers word against

>the crew's and such an incident would have made major news.

>"Terrorist Threat: Two Men Kissing Diverts Plane" would have

>been the headline.

>

>Complaining to AA directly will likely not have much of an

>effect. Sorry to be so negative but airlines are not exactly

>customer focused these days. Oh, AA will release some kind of

>statement saying they are "committed to diversity and that all

>their passengers can expect to fly in comfort and safety" but

>don't expect much more than that.

>

>Perhaps the passengers will get an apology but don't look for

>a major mea culpa. It's an airline. Don't get me wrong, I

>will call my company's AA rep and file a complaint but given

>how many staff they cut there may not be anyone to read it.

>

>And speaking of other forums. Here's al link to

>http://www.flyertalk.com which is a site dedicated to frequent

>travelers. I find very useful in planning and finding out

>details about my prefered airline United. Just about every

>major airline and FF program has it's own forum and there's

>tons of informmation. Serious travelers should check it out.

>(Ok, that's twice this week I posted links to FT, I'll stop

>with the commericals.)

>

>I have posted a couple of links here to the discussions in

>their forum about the issue.

>

>From the GLBT Forum on FT

>

>http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603718

>

>From the AA FF Froum

>

>http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=603472

>

>

>

>

 

Page 5 responce 75 pretty much sums up the events of that flight. Take a look. It is unfortuate that one or two bad apples could ruin the whole batch. I hope that the gay couple here in question get some nice compinsation.

 

Hugs,

Greg

seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

I'll be in Chicago October 2nd, 2006

http://seaboy4hire.tripod.com New page for reveiws http://www.daddysreviews.com/newest.php?who=greg_seattle

[+ glutes]

Now, now.. Look what happens when straights kiss

 

Kiss heard 'round the world

 

Carol Ness, OF THE EXAMINER STAFF

 

Wednesday, March 19, 1997

 

Castro bar site of protest over banned straight smooch

 

(03-19) 04:00 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- Would that every kiss lasted as long as the controversy over who gets to make out in one of San Francisco's popular gay bars.

 

In the latest juicy installment, a gay man for tolerance is staging a kiss-in at The Cafe in the Castro on Wednesday night, to get as many straight, bisexual and gay people locking lips as he can.

 

Fighting kisses with more kisses, the bar's manager - whose effort to keep straight people's lips off each other generated more heat in the gay community than anything since Marky Mark or Melissa - said he'd respond by staging a kissing contest open to anyone, at the same time, with a $100 prize.

 

Does the Fire Department know about this?

 

Actually, each man has a serious point to make, stemming from the recent uproar over The Cafe's policy against kissing between heterosexuals.

 

The kiss that started the whole thing took place last summer and brought a city discrimination beef against The Cafe in late February. Two weeks ago, Cafe manager Morgan Gorrono acceded to a policy of no heavy necking by anyone.

 

Now, a 22-year-old who goes by the Tibetan name of J'Tao says he organized Wednesday's kiss-in to draw attention to intolerance by people within the gay community who say they hate discrimination - except when it comes to straight people in their bar. The contest was scheduled for 8 p.m. at 2367 Market St.

 

"Discrimination by anyone is wrong'

 

"I hope people will realize that discrimination by anyone is wrong. Just because you're the majority means you can (discriminate) - but it doesn't mean you should," said J'Tao, who moved to San Francisco recently from deep East Bay suburbia.

 

He's been handing out hundreds of flyers, mostly in the Castro, advertising his protest - quite likely the first use of the time-honored kiss-in against a gay target.

 

Most of the response has been good, he said; the gays and lesbians who disagree tell him that "the gay bars are our only respite."

 

"There are probably more hypocrites per square foot in the Castro than anywhere," he said. "(Gays) create an area where we say we are tolerant, we accept everybody, but it's not really practiced by most people who hang out there."

 

Gorrono gamely said that if protesters showed up wanting to kiss, "we're going to have a public kissing contest - and maybe this can finally be over."

 

Free publicity

 

Since the news hit two weeks ago, he's been besieged by media from as far away as England, Australia and Malaysia - not that he's complaining.

 

"I've gotten $10 million worth of publicity for free," he said.

 

It was Gorrono, manager at The Cafe for six years, who came up with the "no straight make-out" policy after ousting a group of four people last August because two of them - a man and a woman - were deep into a kiss. A gay friend who was with them complained to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission.

 

After the commission came down on Gorrono, he decided on a policy of "no heavy making out" by anyone - with the rules still to be determined.

 

"The gay community really supports the original no-straight-kissing policy," Gorrono said. "We have "don't ask, don't tell' in the military, we can't marry and can't file joint taxes. ... The straight community holds us to a different standard. There is no equality."

 

Three weeks ago, he saw a man yelling anti-gay epithets sic his pit bull on a gay man at Market and Church streets. On a recent Sunday afternoon, a man went after two women after sideswiping their car right outside The Cafe.

 

"I have yet to see a gang of gay people attack a straight person," he said.

 

Rare case

 

Cynthia Goldstein, the Human Rights Commission attorney who worked out the new policy with Gorrono, sounded almost embarrassed that this particular case of discrimination had become such a big deal.

 

"Almost all of the cases I receive are from same-sex couples experiencing harassment," she said. "There aren't a lot of (gay) people making out (in public) because it's too dangerous - it's more holding hands, a kiss on the cheek, a quick kiss on the lips."

 

Gorrono said that since the case was publicized, he'd received three or four bomb threats from people who said they were straight. He's hiring two police special officers to guard the door Wednesday night.

 

Both the kiss-in and the kissing contest will be open to anyone.

 

J'Tao has invited Mayor Brown - and of course the media.

 

P.J. Johnston, Brown's spokesman, said the mayor was probably too busy to come, but would like the idea.

 

"If the point is straight people kissing and gay people kissing and any other category we can think of kissing - well, we're pro kissing in this administration," Johnston said.<

[Guest carter07]

It's simple. Don't fly American.

[Guest ReturnOfS]

RE: Now, now.. Look what happens when straights kiss

 

When gay people finally take over the world, the only time we'll let str8s kiss will be when we're letting them breed more gay people :+

 

I've already said too much. Now the Gay Mafia will be coming to get me :+

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Correct you are Carter.

 

There are times when you can change the world for the better, realizing that all of the stress is worth the overall outcome and then there are the times when it's simply best to 'vote with your wallet.'

 

If you feel AA's policy is inhumane, then simply don't fly them. I understand that everyone has the right to scream, yell, protest and pontificate, but in the end, a large sub-group of people simply switching to another airline can do quite a bit of damage.

 

We deal with assholes everyday... Big part of life. If we stress over every single issue and let a molehill become a mountain, we'd all be dead in our early '30s of a heart attack.

 

Pick your battles wisely.

 

 

 

BN

[SAdler]

It isn't really that simple for some. If you're based in a certain city where there is a massive flight hub, it may be. If you're not, one tends to choose an airline that has the best options for flights as well as most affordable.

 

To date I have flown American because even if there is a connection, the flights offered to me on American tend to always get me to where I want to go when I want to be there without being inconvenienced. Obviously other airlines can be apt but what's the point of loyalty to an airline if they're not going to be of service to you.

 

Perhaps they wont respond to one letter. Maybe they will respond to a large contingency of people changing airlines. But the letters are to help them know WHY it's happening. THe two actions working together should hopefully get this done.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the support emails I've been getting.

[+ deej]

>If you feel AA's policy is inhumane, then simply don't fly

>them. I understand that everyone has the right to scream,

>yell, protest and pontificate, but in the end, a large

>sub-group of people simply switching to another airline can do

>quite a bit of damage.

 

But leave a trail of bread crumbs so they can properly evaluate that damage. Anonymously "going away" is not the way to do that.

 

AA certainly isn't new to gay controversy. Last year they tried to fire an employee because he performed in gay porn on his off time. The employee (pornstar Pete Ross) took them to court and won.

 

Hit them where it hurts for sure, but let them know why in no uncertain terms.

[SAdler]

>Hit them where it hurts for sure, but let them know why

>in no uncertain terms.

 

What a brilliant idea! SOOOO inciteful. Heh heh ... kiss pookie

[Rick Munroe]

>If you feel AA's policy is inhumane, then simply don't fly

>them. I understand that everyone has the right to scream,

>yell, protest and pontificate, but in the end, a large

>sub-group of people simply switching to another airline can do

>quite a bit of damage.

 

I disagree. If you want equal rights, you need to speak up. If Rosa Parks had taken your advice, she would have simply just quietly stopped taking the bus. That would have been quite productive!

 

Keep making some noise, Mr. Adler. I sent my letter.

[danknight2005]

Dan Knight 2005

 

SAdler - take a Xanax and chill out. Getting so worked-up about things causes premature wrinkles.

Hopefully airlines will get over this destructive low fare stuff, raise their fares, and give better service.

[SAdler]

>SAdler - take a Xanax and chill out.

 

I happen to prefer valium. Xanax makes me groggy.

 

>Getting so worked-up

>about things causes premature wrinkles.

 

Well luckily a fellow escort (no I will not say who) has discovered botox and now that I know it works well I won't be afraid to try it should the necessity arise.

 

>Hopefully airlines will get over this destructive low fare

>stuff, raise their fares, and give better service.

 

While your input and opinions are of course welcome, even my "naysayers" are engaged in this topic. If you are against gays having equal rights that's your deal; however, there's no need to accuse those of us interested in equality of being dramatic.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Comparing this situation with the struggles that Rosa Parks (and many others in her shoes) went through is asinine.

 

Fact: Just because AA has a few bad apples doesn't make it an 'anti-gay' airline. As others have said in various online forums, don't judge the greater good based on the actions of one simple mind.

 

While i may be eating my words later, let's reserve judgement and a 'Proctor and Gamble-esque' boycott until we hear BOTH sides of the story. For now, it's a stacked deck.

 

 

BN

[Rick Munroe]

>While i may be eating my words later, let's reserve judgement

>and a 'Proctor and Gamble-esque' boycott until we hear BOTH

>sides of the story.

 

You're contradicting yourself. Scott was calling on people to merely write to AA; you were the one who suggested that people boycott AA "with your wallet." And how can you hear both sides of the story unless you write to AA to ask them their side? (Btw, would you like some ketchup with your words? )

[+ Lucky]

Interesting item in today's New York Post Page Six column:

 

SMOOCH-A-THON

 

DON'T believe rumors that they were on the rocks - Nicollette Sheridan and Michael Bolton can't keep their hands off each other. The engaged lovebirds, who have yet to set a wedding date, caught a N.Y.-L.A. American Airlines flight last week and, according to spies, put on quite a show. "Even before going through metal detectors, they were rubbing noses," said a fellow first-class passenger. "Nicollette - who was wearing a full-length shearling coat despite the 70-degree heat - then made out with Michael the entire flight."

[Lookin]

Okay, guys, sometimes we have to put our mouth where our money is. And I’m willing to step up and put mine on the line.

 

Here’s the offer: I will volunteer to fly anywhere American Airlines goes, seated next to Scott, Greg, Benjamin, and/or Rick, and I will be willing to smooch during the entire journey, including any layovers. And I will do it wearing a full-length shearling coat, whatever the hell that is.

 

I know, I know, we may get diverted, but it’s a price I’m willing to pay. Some things are just worth fighting for! :* :* :* :*

[KY_TOP]

>I urge everyone to write to American Airlines REMINDING them

>who has the I still believe greatest overall expendable income

>of any group in this nation.

 

Scott have you or anyone else here received a response from American Airlines? If so what was the response?

 

I rarely use American Airlines due to a problem I had with them a couple of years ago but they also have limited coverage from the city I live in. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Eating my words still requires my initial statement to be contradicted Rick. It wasn't.

 

It's in AA's best interests to address this issue publically if it actually becomes more than just a 12-letter campaign. In formal industry, a generalized press conference or release is how most large coorperations handle things, leaving the costs of mailings aside in favor of cheaper and more widespread communication.

 

Frankly, i could care less whether one of American's FAs is backwards in her thinking, as the greater whole of the airline is stable, hardworking, open-minded and enjoyable. Letting one simple mind destroy that would be, in my opinion, silly and an extraordinary waste of time.

 

As a gay community, we've got bigger fish to fry right now.

 

 

BN