LGBT

[Dnoveau]

Please tell me the gate agent that denied family boarding to two married men, their three children and a related grandmother has been fired.  The Southwest excuse that the grandmother was with them is unbeleivably lame. 

[dacuwe]

This was because of a bigoted gate agent, and I am very diasappointed that SWA gave such a ridiculous excuse.  I've always enjoyed flying SWA when possible, but this is enough to make me reconsider.  I really expected more from SWA.

[RockyMtn]

That ridiculous excuse, as you call it" is actually policy. Family boarding is for the kids and parents. This does not include anyone else. If she was too "fragile" for the exit row, then one of the Dads should have manned up and switched seats with her.

[chgoflyer]

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@RockyMtn wrote:

That ridiculous excuse, as you call it" is actually policy. Family boarding is for the kids and parents. This does not include anyone else. If she was too "fragile" for the exit row, then one of the Dads should have manned up and switched seats with her.

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No.

Here's the official written policy, in full:

Notice that it does not specify "kids and parents." It says, literally, "an adult traveling with a child."

An adult. A child.

This family had three adults and three children. They should not have been stopped.

Unfortunately, Southwest created a bad situation, then hid behind a vague policy to defend their employee's actions.

Most distressing is that they never reached out to the family after the incident -- to get their side of the story, or further explain the policy, or to just deescalate the situation.

Their press release refers to "decency and respect," but none was shown to the family. They at least owed them the courtesy of being contacted.

Sad.