Businessman kicked off plane to allow a straight couple to sit next to each other
David Cooley is the found and CEO of West Hollywood gay club The Abbey
By Steve Brown
A well-known businessman has vowed never to fly with Alaska Airlines after his partner was told to move to allow a straight couple to sit together.
David Cooley – founder and CEO of West Hollywood gay club The Abbey – was flying from New York to Los Angeles but his journey was less than enjoyable when a flight attendant told his partner that he had to move from his premium seat to the main cabin or be kicked off the flight.
Cooley was told that the reason was because another straight couple wanted to sit next to each other, and taking to Facebook, he vowed never to fly with the airline again.
He wrote: “I have never been so discriminated against while traveling before. I was removed from an Alaska Airlines flight # 1407 from John F. Kennedy International Airport to LAX to give preferential treatment to a straight couple.
“After my traveling companion and I had been seated in our assigned seats for a while, we were approached by the flight attendant and my companion was asked to move from his premium seat to coach, so a couple could sit together.
“I explained that we were a couple and wanted to sit together. He was given a choice to either give up the premium seat and move to coach or get off the plane.
“We could not bear the feeling of humiliation for an entire cross-country flight and left the plane. I cannot believe that an airline in this day and age would give a straight couple preferential treatment over a gay couple and go so far as to ask us to leave.
“We will never be flying Alaska Airlines or their recently purchased Virgin Airlines Group ever again.
“Thank you to Delta Air Lines for getting us home safe. If you are an #LGBT person, please spend your travel dollars with an LGBT friendly airline like Delta.”
Alaska Airlines are reportedly investigating this incident.