Posted on 08/28/2012 10:00:45 AM PDT by scottjewell
HOUSTON (CN) - A gay couple claims in court that Continental Airlines workers humiliated them by taking a dildo from their baggage and taping it outside the bag for everyone in baggage claim to see.
Christopher Bridgeman and Martin Borger sued United Continental Holdings and Continental Airlines in Harris County Court.
The men say they arrived in Houston from Costa Rica, retrieved their undisturbed checked luggage and after going through Customs rechecked their bags for a flight to Norfolk, Va.
"Upon arriving in Norfolk, plaintiffs exited the aircraft and went to the baggage claim area," the complaint states. "Plaintiffs' bags were sent to the baggage carousel where plaintiffs discovered, to their horror, that a private sex toy had been removed from one of their bags, covered in a greasy foul-smelling substance and taped prominently to the top of their bag.
"Plaintiffs experienced extreme shock and horror when they observed the above-described bag and when observing the surprised and/or laughing faces of numerous onlookers in the baggage claim area.
"Plaintiffs were experiencing such a high degree of shock and embarrassment that they felt compelled to call two friends to come to the airport to assist them.
"Fortunately, the friends arrived and were able to assist plaintiffs out of the airport and to their home, but by that time the damage had already been done, and plaintiffs had suffered severe emotional trauma."
The men claim the baggage handlers probably pulled the prank "because of the fact that the sex toy was contained in the bag of a male, and because the employee(s) responsible knew that the bag belonged to a male due to the name tag attached to the bag and the male clothing contained in the bag."
They seek punitive damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy and negligence.
They are represented Harry Scarborough.
United and Continental Airlines merged in May 2010 to form one of the world's largest airlines.
I don’t think it’s comical at all. They shouldn’t be doing that with anyone’s belongings. Period. The whole idea is just gross anyway.
Must have been some good tape if it was covered with a greasy substance and kept its adhesion...
I agree. The person who did this should be fired.
Yes, I’m also grossed out, but people should have their privacy respected.
“always use the indefinite article a dildo, never your dildo.”
Yup. I still have a sample of the tape the TSA uses...
Can a TSA worker even be fired?
“They shouldn’t be doing that with anyone’s belongings. Period.”
When you check a bag, you think the contents are safe. Whoever opened the bag could have taken something of value and it would be gone. Whoever did that should be fired.
Assuming the incident actually happened as described.
Given the events of the last few years, that’s by no means a sure thing.
Fired? How about jail.
Well, you’re right. Of course they shouldn’t touch any passenger’s private property, and they will pay now. Sorry.
I also had the same thought. My second thought was that this is a very unlikely story. The bags are scanned BEFORE they are put on the plane. Assuming that the act was as listed, the tape would have been exposed to:
external handling and bumping being loaded on to the plane
extreme cold temperatures while at altitude - further reducing the ability of the tape to hold.
external handling and bumping during off load and transport vial baggage handling
Is it possible that this was added after the bag was delivered so as to provide cause for the lawsuit? What evidence do they have that their bag was returned in such a manner?
They may in fact be prosecuted because they also got their employers involved in major litigation.
If they searched Obama’s luggage and taped his dildo onto the cover of his suitcase, they probably would have been.
“Fortunately, the friends arrived and were able to assist plaintiffs out of the airport and to their home....
Really? Talk about reinforcing a gay stereotype.
Actually, that was my point :-)
Well after the Nebraska hoax and many others and with your questions, it just may be a hoax. They likely know that involving Continental Airlines in major litigation might get them a quick and hefty settlement. Sure makes you wonder.
I agree that the TSA worker or airline employee who did this should be fired—assuming the event took place as reported, which is always a legitimate question in these situations. It would not astonish me if I were to learn that the passengers did this themselves.
If it did take place, imagine the silliness and weakness of two people, ostensibly adult men, who were so overcome by the “trauma” of being embarrassed in front of strangers that they had to call other friends to help them out of the airport. Imagine people being unable to function after an embarrassment and not even being able to walk. Is this not absurd?
Trauma is being hit by a car. Rape is traumatic. The death of a loved one is traumatic. Being involved in some hideously bloody, violent event, like a shooting, is traumatic. Having people see your sex toy is mildly embarrassing.
There’s something wrong if you’re using a device that’s so shameful you are overcome with emotion at the very idea that others have seen it. Most people would be pissed off, not driven to their knees with “trauma” if this happened to them (again, assuming it really did happen).
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