By Virgin, at least, as a corporate policy on who can sit next to unaccompanied minors (answer: only women). Though that policy may change, based on public outcry in Australia to this particular incident.
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Man on Plane Must Change Seats — He’s Next to 2 Boys. Australians Outraged!
Hey Folks! Encouraging news in our war on predator panic! Over in Australia, on Virgin, a man named Johnny McGirr, 33, was seated next to two unaccompanied boys, aged about 8 and 10. The stewardess……
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I guess my question would be 'why are your kids my problem?' It's bizarre and insulting. But if they want to offer me an upgrade or credit….
Is this just a policy of Virgin in Australia, or all over? I would be shocked, my wife is a huge fan of them. +Richard Branson, what say you sir?
Kind of annoyed by this, just another example about how men are being marginalized to try and overcompensate for giving them preference in the past. Equality doesn't mean to prefer the 'minority', as it were.
I don't think it's an overreaction to past preference. I think it's an overreaction to a potential problem.
I agree this is a major overreaction. However, when I thought about it, I was surprised that the airlines don't screen passengers for being sex offenders on flights with unaccompanied minors. It should be a simple matter. Look at http://www.familywatchdog.us/ — if it's a matter of public record in the United States, it's probably the same in other countries.
Would that be violating the rights of the other passengers privacy, +James D., or is the assumption that by being a sex offender they have given up that right? Keep in mind, being a registered sex offender in some places means everything from the worst offenses, to walking past a window partially undressed in your own home.
Oh, for God's sake, don't give them any ideas.
Is the idea that a released previous sex offender shouldn't be allowed on a plane that has unaccompanied minors on it Or even accompanied minors (if mom or dad has to get up and use the lavatory)? Or should they be allowed to fly and just tapped on the shoulder by a flight attendant and told they have to move because of their record after they received their seating assignment and actually had the nerve to sit down there?
I might consider the proposal a bit more positively if "sex offender" rolls were both filled with errors, gaps, and with people that would not normally be considered sex offenders.
I didn't say I endorsed the idea. I was just surprised that they don't already do it.
It is an interesting question.