Businessman sues BA 'for treating men like perverts'

Daily Mail ^ | 1/16/10 | Sophie Borland

[LibWhacker]

A businessman is suing British Airways over a policy that bans male passengers from sitting next to children they don't know - even if the child's parents are on the same flight.

Mirko Fischer has accused the airline of branding all men as potential sex offenders and says innocent travellers are being publicly humiliated.

In line with the policy, BA cabin crew patrol the aisles before take-off checking that youngsters travelling on their own or in a different row from their parents are not next to a male stranger.

[mkjessup]

This is monumentally stupid. Pedophiles come in both genders, and apparently British Airways never got that memo.

[9YearLurker]

It is stupid, but the type of pedophile they’re looking for (not a teacher getting it on with her 15yo student) is overwhelmingly male.

[paudio]

The feminists should sue them as well, as this is a form of gender discrimination. Women are seen as incapable of committing pedophile action.

[freekitty]

More insane logic. I hope the Brits stand up.

[Rippin]

profiling

[deaconjim]

Easy solution - Introduce yourself to the kid and his parents. Now you’re not a stranger, problem solved.

[saganite]

Personally, when I’m going to be in coach for 8 to 10 hours the last thing I want is to be sitting next to someone’s little angel. Still, this policy exceeds even the bounds of political correctness if the parents are there. I wonder how they would handle it if a person of color were asked to move because he might be a pedophile? It’s always interesting when two protected classes clash.

[Straight Vermonter]

It is stupid, but the type of pedophile they’re looking for (not a teacher getting it on with her 15yo student) is overwhelmingly male.

You are correct but they are also overwhelmingly known to the family too, teacher, coach, relative etc.

[calex59]

They are profiling. Which is ok if you profile for all eventualities, terrorism for example, but to profile males as sex offenders and to simply let muzzies board as they like while searching people who don’t fit the profile is simply discriminatory.

[calex59]

You are correct but they are also overwhelmingly known to the family too, teacher, coach, relative etc.

Yes, much like the scum bag that Coakly(sp?)tried to let get away with raping his two year old niece. Fortunately she eventually failed and he was imprisoned.

[FrankR]

If the British men don't have enough spine to raise immortal hell about this profiling discrimination, do they at least have an alternate choice of airline?

Like the other poster said, the last person I'd want to sit beside is someone's little brat (don't flame, I raised four) when I'm traveling.

So far in the world, the white male is the dumping ground for every racial and gender oriented group on the planet...so this is not that surprising.

I say establish a "kids section" in the back of the plane and hire "day care" workers to sit back there and guard the little angels from flying perverts. When you buy your tickets they could ask, "...kids, or NO kids?" like they used to do for smoking.

[9YearLurker]

True as well.

[maica]

Excellent point. It is beyond time for the still rational people of Great Britain to push back against Political Correctness gone amok. The bureaucracy in the UK is acting irrationally, defining deviancy in normal behavior, and excusing tyranny in the behavior of others.

[Sporaticus]

Actually its the kind of discrimination I prefer.
Yes I dont want to sit next to your sniffling,fidgeting, loud, contagion spreading kids on a flight. Finally British Airways is respecting their best customer the lone businessman. If its a choice between a 350+ lb person or a kid though, I’d take the kid. Thanks BA and probably a good reason to choose BA if your an adult male.

[MarkL]

I'm of mixed feelings about this... While I don't like the idea that adult men are being treated as potential sexual predators, it DOES protect the men from being sued by a crazy parent with a child that exaggerates or just outright lies (like the McMartin daycare center case). It also segregates small children from adults who either want to sleep or need to work on the flight. A few years ago I wound up giving a little girl my CD player for the flight to get her to shut up and leave me alone, so that she could listen to some music and I could get some work done on a 2 1/2 hour flight. Of course, her mother was sitting with her.

Mark

[healy61]

Well, then move the little brats. WC Fields said it best, “Get out of here, kid. You smell like peanuts and popcorn.” Little Fauntleroy can go set next to his dad and mom.

[almost done by half]

In general I think men are becoming very careful about being around other peoples unescorted kids for fear of being accused of being a pedophile. You may not be guilty but it will cost you a fortune to fight a malicious charge to clear your name. (This is a really sad comment on our times.)

[LFOD]

Of all the overseas flights I have been on, it was my sincere wish that the airlines would reserve the last few rows in the rear of the plane for passengers with children/babies.
There are few things less irritating and annoying than to endure little brats for a 9-10 hour flight.,

[thinking]

at one time, I would have a morning jog, it is up a hill and down past a school ground, just as mothers were escorting the children to school....after a time, I decided that wasn’t a good route....that after raising two girls...