Sexist Airline Policies

daffodilsoup

http://articles.cnn.com/2012-08-14/travel/travel_unaccompanied-children-flights_1_minors-trade-seats-flight-attendant

Here's the scoop: An Australian airline has made it so that male passengers are not allowed to sit next to unaccompanied minors on flights. This is done in an attempt to "prevent the victimization of children". What are your thoughts?

fbmandy55

Stupid. As if women don't cause trauma to kids either? A man is now guilty until proven innocent?

I would be offended if I were a man.

Koldnomore

Stupid. As if women don't cause trauma to kids either? A man is now guilty until proven innocent?

I would be offended if I were a man.

This.

daffodilsoup

Stupid. As if women don't cause trauma to kids either? A man is now guilty until proven innocent?

I would be offended if I were a man.

This.

Hell, I'm offended and I'm not a man.

lour441

I don't think minors should be allowed to fly unaccompanied.

That said, I would not give up my seat. Move the kids if you have a problem with me.

fbmandy55

I don't think minors should be allowed to fly unaccompanied.

That said, I would not give up my seat. Move the kids if you have a problem with me.

As I have a fear of flying, I would probably be panicking from the ground for my kid. I would cry hysterically if I had to let them fly alone.

Gilbrod

Stupid. As if women don't cause trauma to kids either? A man is now guilty until proven innocent?

I would be offended if I were a man.

Boom! Thread is officially done :laugh: I wonder who was the genious behind this idea and thought it would "fly"well with everyone else. (see what I did there? Pun intended)

Mr_Cape219

I'm actually disappointed..


I read "Sexiest Arline Policies" -_-

But to add my two cents, yea thats pretty messed up. Unaccompanied Minors should fly with eachother!

fbmandy55

I'm actually disappointed..


I read "Sexiest Arline Policies" -_-

But to add my two cents, yea thats pretty messed up. Unaccompanied Minors should fly with eachother!

I too read it as sexiest... :laugh:

EvanKeel

Isn't Australia home to some of the most dangerous animals on earth? Given that information, I think there should be a rule that Australians shouldn't be allowed to sit next to minors; there's a higher chance that Aussies will be dangerous.

Mr_Cape219

Isn't Australia home to some of the most dangerous animals on earth? Given that information, I think there should be a rule that Australians shouldn't be allowed to sit next to minors; there's a higher chance that Aussies will be dangerous.

In Australia, every animal can kill you in some way or another (and the spiders...they speak) so wouldnt it be safe to say that Australian children would be fine no matter where they are? If an adult American tried any funny buisness, I'm sure that that American man/woman would have a broken wrist!

LemonSnap

Some bloke made a big issue of it in the online media here. Of late it seems the new sport in Australia is to get your picture or name in the paper for any trivial complaint you can tempt the media with.

As it turns out the policy has been in place - across all airlines - for quite some time. The policy includes any adult. That is no adult, man or women, should be sat with unaccompanied minors. In the event that lack of seating requires an adult sit there the preference is a woman.

It hasn't come to light before now because

1. Generally it is managed during seat allocation
2. Nobody has been so short sighted as to publicly complain before.

Pebble321

Isn't Australia home to some of the most dangerous animals on earth? Given that information, I think there should be a rule that Australians shouldn't be allowed to sit next to minors; there's a higher chance that Aussies will be dangerous.

It's OK as long as you don't seat them next to a male crocodile, dingo, snake, spider or other dangerous animal.
Usually though, they seat the animals next to each other in a special zone so it's not generally a problem.

SwannySez

I see it as airlines protecting themselves from being sued over allegations that they allowed molestations to occur on their flights. Pretty sensible, actually, even if it's a bit sad that they need to do so.

EvanKeel

If the policy is applied equally then I don't care.. In fact, I'd much prefer not to sit next anyone else's child and play babysitter.

Gilbrod

If the policy is applied equally then I don't care.. In fact, I'd much prefer not to sit next anyone else's child and play babysitter.

Hmmmm, I never thought about it that way. Now it doesn't seem that bad of an idea. I want every airlines to adopt this policy now.

ninerbuff

Tell this to a teenage female who has to sit by Chris Hemsworth.........................lol, doubt it would bother her much.

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vim_n_vigor

I can completely understand not seating them with anyone else. Leave the seat next to them empty.

taunto

If I remember correctly, you HAVE to be accompanied by an adult till you're 12. I have been travelling since I was 3 so traveling abroad was a norm for us and if you were under 12, the flight attendant or some other adult would always be with you. After 12, my mother used to find a family and ask them to keep an eye on us. She knew me well and would find a family with a cute daughter

taunto

Honestly, I think men in this society are constantly "looked at" and while I understand being on the lookout for pedophiles, I think as a society we're getting into the habit of being wary of every guy. A woman for example get to talk to strangers kids, hold them even but guy usually have to know the person first. I came from another culture in Asia and while I have adopted to the culture here, its still weird to me.

Like many said, men are now presumed pedophiles and this policy is just saying it out loud what a lot of folks are thinking.

EvanKeel

I think if the stated reason for seating unattended children apart from adults is the fear of child molesters, then it's a stupid reason. Statistically, pedophiles make up a tiny % of the population. Of those, I have to think that any of them that would attempt to "prey" on a child in the confines of an airline seat must be the dumbest people on the planet. Without my blessed headphones, I can hear every single hushed conversation of the people in front of me and behind; they'd get caught. It's least advantageous "hunting ground" for a predator to choose.

Realistically, I think the odds of an attended child being molested are higher than those of an unattended child.

Now, having said all that, I think there is some value to seating them apart--just not for the purposes of preventing molestation. We constantly tell kids to be careful not to talk to strangers, or get in cars with them, etc. I can see it being fairly stressful for a kid, depending on their age, to be put in a seat next to a complete stranger, which might make them feel essentially trapped. If we're trying to give kids some peace of mind and make sure adults don't have to be bothered by random strange children, then I think it's great. But let's not delude ourselves that it's really keeping child molesters at bay.