After Leisha Hailey and girlfriend Camila Grey released a statement over their removal from a flight, Southwest issues an updated statement, claiming at least one family was left offended.
- Sep 28, 2011
AceShowbiz - Leisha Hailey and Southwest Airlines are sticking to their ground regarding her removal from flight. Shortly after the former "The L Word" star and girlfriend Camila Grey denied their kissing were "excessive, inappropriate or vulgar", the company updated their statement and blamed profane language for the incident.
"Additional reports from our Employees and Customers onboard flight 2274 during a stop in El Paso on Sunday now confirm profane language was being used loudly by two passengers," read the company's statement issued on Tuesday, September 27. "At least one family who was offended by the loud profanity moved to another area of the cabin."
"Although we have reports of what Customers characterize as an excessive public display of affection, ultimately their aggressive reaction led to their removal from the aircraft. We do not tolerate discrimination against anyone for any reason. In this situation, their removal was directly and solely related to the escalated conversation that developed onboard the aircraft."
Earlier in the day, Leisha and her Uh Huh Her band mate Camila released a joint statement in response to Southwest's previous statement. "In no way were our actions on Southwest Airlines excessive, inappropriate or vulgar," they said. "We want to make it clear we were not making out or creating any kind of spectacle of ourselves, it was one, modest kiss."
The pair continued, "We are responsible adult women who walk through the world with dignity. We were simply being affectionate like any normal couple. We were on the airplane less than 5 minutes when all was said and done. We take full responsibility for getting verbally upset with the flight attendant after being told it was a 'family airline.' "
"We were never told the reason the flight attendant approached us, we were only scolded that we 'needed to be aware that Southwest Airlines was a family oriented airline.' No matter how quietly homophobia is whispered, it doesn't make it any less loud. You can't whisper hate. We ask this airline to teach their employees to not discriminate against any couple, ever, regardless of their own beliefs."
Having said that they "find it very disturbing that the same airline who lauds itself as being LGBT friendly has twisted an upsetting incident that happened into our behavior being 'too excessive'," the two concluded, "The above is not an apology and we are in the process of filing a formal complaint with the airline."
