Exclusive interview: Gay San Diego couple says United Airlines employee used slur

[xchrom]

http://lgbtweekly.com/2011/11/28/exclusive-interview-united-employee-slurs-s-d-gay-frequent-flyer-couple/


Michael Harbron (L) and Billy Canu

Billy Canu and his husband, Michael Harbron were flying home after spending Thanksgiving away with friends and relatives. Harbron and Canu, the latter of whom is CEO and cofounder of a successful search engine optimization and Web-marketing firm with offices in San Diego and London, say they got a rude awakening about bigotry, and how it is alive and well – even within the ranks of corporate industry leaders such as United Airlines, which was one of the industry’s first to provide equal benefits to LGBT employees.

snip

LGBTweekly.com: Can you tell us exactly what happened to you and your husband in Denver?

Billy Canu: Saturday, we were heading back to San Diego from Denver, waiting for a United Airlines flight. We’re both Gold Club members and wanted to get into the gold lounge there, but were told we couldn’t.

Was that when someone at United called you “faggot?”

No. That came later. First we were treated to this really condescending attitude from a woman – a customer service person – who told us that people pay a lot of money to come here. She was just really snide. Behind her were about five uniformed United staff – all snickering.

So they were making fun of you guys?

It sure felt like they were having a good laugh at our expense. So, we went to the customer service counter, where we were told there shouldn’t be a problem.

[RKP5637]

1. K&R !!! n/t

[HopeHoops]

2. Um, yeah. Like THOSE two. If they were gold club members, they paid it too.

What the FUCK is wrong with people? "Oooh Ooooh, some of the other members might freak out if you hold hands in there." So toss out the ones that are freaking out! Good fucking grief. Do they still have trouble with "darkies" or "wetbacks" coming into the gold club? This shit is WAY past its closing time.

[Amimnoch]

3. The treatment these men received is disgusting, and the manager should be fired. But,

There is something in the writing of the article that isn't matching up.

I fly quite a bit for work, I've been a Continental Airlines Platnium Elite member for the last 4 years, and gold member the 4 years before this. Now that United and Continental merged, I'm more familiar with the United Airlines way of business.

Neither United or Continental have gold clubs. Continental lounges are/were Presidents clubs lounges, and United is/was United red carpet clubs. In Denver they have 3x United Red Carpet Clubs.

Club membership and Star Alliance memberships are 2 different creatures (Continental/United are members of this alliance). The Star Alliance is the frequent flyer program, and has 3 different levels, silver, gold, and platnium.

If they were Star Alliance Gold members, that alone doesn't grant access to the clubs/lounges at the airports, but it does offer the perk of a reduced fee for club membership. This is how it is at all domestic lounges. Gold Star Alliance membership will sometimes get you lounge access at international terminals (Like in Rio De Janeiro, GIG airport, you can have lounge access if you are Star Alliance Gold, even if you don't have President's club/United Red Carpet Lounge access. What's even more confusing for people who don't fly a lot.. even if you have Presidents Club or United Red Carpet Lounge membership, you still can't get into the Rio club unless you are: Star Alliance Gold or higher, or flying on a partner airline in Business/First class.

The rudeness and homophobia should be punished, but reading the article, unless the gentleman just misspoke, he didn't actually have lounge membership to grant him access. Of course, there is a way to let a customer know this, and a way NOT to let the customer know.. it sounds like the rude jackasses in this particular lounge chose the latter.

[xchrom]

4. i gathered he wasn't a red carpet member from the article.

but i also got the impression he flew alot?

united is the only airline i'll fly -- so i'm a little familiar with their lounges -- not that i go in -- i will always prefer regular airport bars to anything else.

[Amimnoch]

5. I also prefer the atmosphere, but not the cost!

I tend to use the lounges, more as a cost issue.

3x alcoholic beverages at the public bars can cost you $35-45. If you do that 5x a year, $175-$225. I fly between 22 and 30 times a year myself. Sometimes, on my trips back home, I can be at the airport 8-even 10 hours before my scheduled flight (it's a work thing).

With the Presidential Plus card (the only credit card I own), for one price of $325/year, I get club access.. unlimited drinks, and snacks... I come out WAAAY ahead price wise by having lounge membership. Heck, there's been airport visits where I've run up a tab over $325 in one sitting at a non-club airport bar.

If he's a Star Alliance gold member, he does do quite a bit of flying in order to have that level membership, so I think you're right that he flies a lot.. It's just odd that for someone who does fly that much, that he messed up the lounge name.

Just a possibility I'm thinking of, but maybe he doesn't fly often with his partner, and when he's flying alone, he prefers it the way you do.. not to use the club membership.. but decided to treat his partner to the lounge this time around? Just an idea, has no real barring on the real topic of the thread.

[xchrom]

6. now that's a good catch -- i'll bet he doesn't fly often w/his husband.

and that would be part of what makes the story then -- and they couldn't have been married long.


*** in all honesty --besides enjoying airport bars -- i smoke -- so i schedule everything around airports w/ smoking lounges and or bars that allow smoking.
end of disclosure.

[Amimnoch]

7. LOL, me too with the smoking!

3x airports that i frequent very often are GIG (Rio De Janeiro International) IAH (Houston International), and MSY (New Orleans).

GIG has smoking areas behind security, so that one is easy.

IAH, and MSY on the other hand have absolutely NO area behind security that you can smoke at. However, the Sky Club in Terminal D in New Orleans has an outside smoking area for employees. So does the large Presidents club in IAH in terminal E.

LOL, I know this because in both airports, I'm such a regular that they know me on sight. Now, I smoke, but when I can't smoke, I'll use snuff (dipping tobacco). These clubs HATE this activity, as do some of the pompous people who frequent them. As a compromise both facilities now allow me to use their employee smoking area as long as I agree not to dip snuff inside the lounge.

[xchrom]

8. oooh -- i'm now jealous!

there are times in my life when i fly so much that folk know who i am -- when i HAVE to go outside to smoke -- security will often tell me the fastest way out and back in.

i hate winding up somewhere that takes forever to get back in -- especially in the really big airports.

[William769]

9. Recommended.