Woman says she was forced to change airline seats to accommodate 2 men’s ‘cultural beliefs’
Postmedia Network
First posted: Monday, October 03, 2016 01:53 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, October 03, 2016 02:39 PM EDT
An Orange County woman says she was forced to change seats on her United Airlines because a pair of men in her row had “cultural” problems with sitting next to a woman.
Mary Campos pre-booked a ticket from California to Houston on United Airlines last week but was shocked to receive a new boarding pass just before her flight.
She says the ticket agent told her: “The two gentlemen seated next to you have cultural beliefs that prevent them for sitting next to, or talking to or communicating with females,” CBS News reports.
She said the men, dressed in orange robes, were described to her as “Pakistani monks.”
Pakistan is overwhelmingly Muslim, and Islam forbids the practice of monasticism. Orange robes are generally associated with buddhist monks. In some buddhist cultures, and depending on vows they have taken, monks avoid interacting with women.
Regardless, Campos was not impressed.
“I thought I lived in a culture where women were equal to men,” she said.
After her flight, she sent a letter to the CEO of United Airlines.
“What if I were handicapped, or transgender?” she wrote. “What if your entire crew were female? Any belief that prevents individuals from interacting with females should not travel on commercial aircraft.”
United Airlines replied it would look into the incident.
Campos says she doesn’t intend to sue the airline but would like United Airlines to apologize to every woman on the flight, including staff. She also hoped the company would change its policies to better protect women’s rights.
“We regret that Ms. Campos was unhappy with the handling of the seat assignments on her flight,” the airline said in a statement. “United holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and has zero tolerance for discrimination.”
Woman says she was forced to change airline seats to accommodate 2 men’s ‘cultur
Postmedia Network
First posted: Monday, October 03, 2016 01:53 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, October 03, 2016 02:39 PM EDT
An Orange County woman says she was forced to change seats on her United Airlines because a pair of men in her row had “cultural” problems with sitting next to a woman.
Mary Campos pre-booked a ticket from California to Houston on United Airlines last week but was shocked to receive a new boarding pass just before her flight.
She says the ticket agent told her: “The two gentlemen seated next to you have cultural beliefs that prevent them for sitting next to, or talking to or communicating with females,” CBS News reports.
She said the men, dressed in orange robes, were described to her as “Pakistani monks.”
Pakistan is overwhelmingly Muslim, and Islam forbids the practice of monasticism. Orange robes are generally associated with buddhist monks. In some buddhist cultures, and depending on vows they have taken, monks avoid interacting with women.
Regardless, Campos was not impressed.
“I thought I lived in a culture where women were equal to men,” she said.
After her flight, she sent a letter to the CEO of United Airlines.
“What if I were handicapped, or transgender?” she wrote. “What if your entire crew were female? Any belief that prevents individuals from interacting with females should not travel on commercial aircraft.”
United Airlines replied it would look into the incident.
Campos says she doesn’t intend to sue the airline but would like United Airlines to apologize to every woman on the flight, including staff. She also hoped the company would change its policies to better protect women’s rights.
“We regret that Ms. Campos was unhappy with the handling of the seat assignments on her flight,” the airline said in a statement. “United holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and has zero tolerance for discrimination.”
Woman says she was forced to change airline seats to accommodate 2 men’s ‘cultur
