Man Seated Next to Unaccompanied Minors Forced to Change Seats

[JonesCrusher]

A man traveling from to Brisbane from Sydney was asked to change his seats so he would no longer be next to two unaccompanied minors on a Virgin Australia flight.
A flight attendant asked 33-year-old Sydney fireman Johnny McGirr to switch seats with a woman after he was seated next to two young boys on an April flight, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. McGirr said he estimated the boys to be ten years old. He wrote about his experience in a blog post titled “My Virgin experience as a Paedophile!”
He said he was approached and told he had to move. When he asked why, he was told, ”Well, because you are male, you can’t be seated next to two unaccompanied minors.” He said he thought the request was sexist and discriminatory, but was told it was the airline’s policy.
“As I collected my things from the seat pocket I could see people looking at me and wondering why I was being moved. I was red from embarrassment. I felt like I was being judged and found guilty of a crime I hadn’t committed. It was an uncomfortable situation and I felt ashamed which was a weird feeling because I hadn’t done anything wrong.”
McGirr wrote to the airline to complain.
A spokeswoman for Virgin Australia confirmed the policy to the paper and said while the airline did not want to offend male passengers, its priority was the safety of children. ”In our experience, most guests thoroughly understand that the welfare of the child is our priority,” she said.
The spokeswoman told the newspaper that staff usually tried to keep the seat empty but, when that was not possible, a woman was seated next to the child.
On the airline’s blog and on Twitter, Virgin Australia said: “We understand the concerns raised around our policy for children traveling alone, a long standing policy initially based on customer feedback.
“In light of recent feedback, we’re now reviewing this policy. Our intention is certainly not to discriminate in any way.”
ABC News was unable to reach Virgin Australia directly for comment.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

There are all kinds of things. Mainly libel

Libel? His reputation suffered from a false accusation? No one made a false statement about him and I doubt anyone on the plane knew who he was.

[lcarus]

He was just about to make those kids part of the mile high club. What a waste.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Setsuna

Half the male population?

what does the other half look like?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

what does the other half look like?

Not sweaty. It's the half that live in more northern latitudes.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by blaise

Libel? His reputation suffered from a false accusation? No one made a false statement about him and I doubt anyone on the plane knew who he was.

the very fact he was moved WAS a public statement. It made him out to be a pedophile.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

the very fact he was moved WAS a public statement. It made him out to be a pedophile.

No, not really. It made out that he moved seats. I doubt most people even noticed and if they did they probably just thought he was in the wrong seat, or the airline wanted to move seating arrangements for one reason or another like they do all the time.

[Nickel D]

Virgin Australia obviously hasn't yet heard of female teachers gettin' it on with minors.

I seriously doubt VA did a comprehensive background check on the female that they did put in that seat, so for all we collectively know, she very well could have been a previously-convicted child molester.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by blaise

No, not really. It made out that he moved seats. I doubt most people even noticed and if they did they probably just thought he was in the wrong seat, or the airline wanted to move seating arrangements for one reason or another like they do all the time.

I take it you didn't even read the article. Here's what McGirr says: “As I collected my things from the seat pocket I could see people looking at me and wondering why I was being moved. I was red from embarrassment. I felt like I was being judged and found guilty of a crime I hadn’t committed. It was an uncomfortable situation and I felt ashamed which was a weird feeling because I hadn’t done anything wrong.”

Obviously he felt humiliated enough to write the airlines about it.

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by Nickel D

Virgin Australia obviously hasn't yet heard of female teachers gettin' it on with minors.

I seriously doubt VA did a comprehensive background check on the female that they did put in that seat, so for all we collectively know, she very well could have been a previously-convicted child molester.

exactly. It's classic case of guilt by association. Again, if VA is going to do this, they need to compensate the passengers accordingly. Either that or have a special section of the airplane just for precious kids who are traveling alone.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

I take it you didn't even read the article. Here's what McGirr says “As I collected my things from the seat pocket I could see people looking at me and wondering why I was being moved. I was red from embarrassment. I felt like I was being judged and found guilty of a crime I hadn’t committed. It was an uncomfortable situation and I felt ashamed which was a weird feeling because I hadn’t done anything wrong.”:

Obviously he felt humiliated enough to write the airlines about it.

Yeah, I read it. No one called him a pedophile and most reasonable people seeing a guy changing seats wouldn't think he was a pedophile. Being embarassed doesn't mean your reputation suffered damage because of libel. Not unless the flight attendant wrote, "this guy is a child molestor" on a sign and held it up in front of the other passengers.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Tombstone RJ

exactly. It's classic case of guilt by association. Again, if VA is going to do this, they need to compensate the passengers accordingly. Either that or have a special section of the airplane just for precious kids who are traveling alone.

Compensate for being asked to change seats? What would be fair compensation for that? $6?

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by blaise

No, not really. It made out that he moved seats. I doubt most people even noticed and if they did they probably just thought he was in the wrong seat, or the airline wanted to move seating arrangements for one reason or another like they do all the time.

Where did the flight attendant explain to him why he was being moved? In the bathroom...the conference room? Good grief. I don't like being litigious either, but sometimes you have to stand up for your principles.>>

[Tombstone RJ]

Originally Posted by blaise

Yeah, I read it. No one called him a pedophile and most reasonable people seeing a guy changing seats wouldn't think he was a pedophile. Being embarassed doesn't mean your reputation suffered damage because of libel. Not unless the flight attendant wrote, "this guy is a child molestor" on a sign and held it up in front of the other passengers.

Please explain to me why McGirr was moved. I'd like to hear this from your perspective please.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by blaise

Compensate for being asked to change seats? What would be fair compensation for that? $6?

No, but a free flight somewhere or an upgrade is perfectly reasonable and done all the time.

[Setsuna]

Those were probably blaise's kids.