Is it OK for an Airline to Ban PAX on a Political Basis?

[drron]

All airlines, including QF, price gouge due to just and unjust factors. But this thread isn’t about price gouging, it’s about the response from Rex.

I think it’s time for you to face up to the fact that nobody should be banned from flying an airline because they criticised their prices in public. And even the AFR agrees.

I’m not aware of QF having made such threats to people in their 103-year history.

But OK for QF to ban people flying QF for their political beliefs.

Qantas bans businessman from flying after asylum seeker walkout

Paul Leary, 51, says he 'politely' walked off a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Darwin while a protest about an asylum seeker was taking place. He has now been banned from flying with Qantas.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Qantas bans student who stood up for what she believed in

Victoria University student, Jasmine Pilbrow, who protested the transfer and deportation of a Tamil man to Sri Lanka on board Qantas flight 838 on February 2, has been banned from the airline.

www.smh.com.au

3 people banned but only 1 held the plane up.

 

[justinbrett]

But OK for QF to ban people flying QF for their political beliefs.

Qantas bans businessman from flying after asylum seeker walkout

Paul Leary, 51, says he 'politely' walked off a Qantas flight from Melbourne to Darwin while a protest about an asylum seeker was taking place. He has now been banned from flying with Qantas.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Qantas bans student who stood up for what she believed in

Victoria University student, Jasmine Pilbrow, who protested the transfer and deportation of a Tamil man to Sri Lanka on board Qantas flight 838 on February 2, has been banned from the airline.

www.smh.com.au

3 people banned but only 1 held the plane up.

Yep I’m sure the DM account of the situation is completely balanced with all sides considered

I’m sure the AFP just took their details to send them a Christmas card.

 

[drron]

Yep I’m sure the DM account of the situation is completely balanced with all sides considered

I’m sure the AFP just took their details to send them a Christmas card.

That's why I posted the SMH article. it quotes the woman who did hold up the departure and she said the other couple weren't involved in the protest so their story is corroborated. The thing we don't know is what the QF staff said.

 

[anat0l]

But OK for QF to ban people flying QF for their political beliefs.

The WA farmer who pied AJ was banned from the QF group for life.

You could argue that two ways: either it was an attack on AJ himself for being a <insert word here> (and possibly saving Australia and Qantas from a worst fate years later), or a political attack (even if that is for a company merely holding a political position).


The way I see it, Rex is so small in the grand scheme of things with little sociopolitical clout, the CEO could start spouting extremist propaganda and it would have no noticeable effect. Call it out for what it is, but what's the real effect going to be? I think, as someone said above, any press is press for Rex.

 

[justinbrett]

That's why I posted the SMH article. it quotes the woman who did hold up the departure and she said the other couple weren't involved in the protest so their story is corroborated. The thing we don't know is what the QF staff said.

We know the AFP took interest in the other two which suggests we didn’t get the whole story in either article.

Of course the protestor would speak favourably on the other two who supported her cause, but in any case they don’t have to be linked to be an issue.

 

[drron]

We know the AFP took interest in the other two which suggests we didn’t get the whole story in either article.

Of course the protestor would speak favourably on the other two who supported her cause, but in any case they don’t have to be linked to be an issue.

Actually your assumption means that in Qantas eyes you are presumed guilty unless proved otherwise.
And I think your second line is a real stretch. How do you know that the 2 supported her cause. Nothing in the article suggests that it is a fact.

 

[justinbrett]

Actually your assumption means that in Qantas eyes you are presumed guilty unless proved otherwise.

It says AFP boarded the plane and later took their details. It ceases to be a QF issue once AFP are called. Unless you’re disparaging the AFP?

How do you know that the 2 supported her cause. Nothing in the article suggests that it is a fact.

Supporting the cause is different to supporting the protestor. It clearly says that in the article, perhaps have another read.

This has nothing to do with the thread topic by the way.

 

[drron]

It says AFP boarded the plane and later took their details. It ceases to be a QF issue once AFP are called. Unless you’re disparaging the AFP?



Supporting the cause is different to supporting the protestor. It clearly says that in the article, perhaps have another read.

This has nothing to do with the thread topic by the way.

Supporting the cause was not mentioned by the 2 business people. How do you know that they weren't against the cause. Either is possible.

It just appears I am more likely to trust people.

 

[justinbrett]

Supporting the cause was not mentioned by the 2 business people. How do you know that they weren't against the cause. Either is possible.

It just appears I am more likely to trust people.

“Mr Leary and his colleague had asked to leave the plane because they were not comfortable with Puvaneethan's treatment.”

Are you suggesting they thought he was being treated too well?

But the ABC is even clearer:

“Two other passengers chose to get off the plane in protest at the asylum seeker's treatment.”

Qantas bans protesters who disrupted Tamil asylum seeker transfer

A Melbourne university student and two others who protested on a Qantas flight over the transfer of an asylum seeker are temporarily banned from the airline.

www.abc.net.au

And the Guardian has the actual QF policy:

Qantas said it was standard procedure for people who exited a flight to be placed on a no-fly list while Australian federal police investigated. Bans were lifted as the AFP concluded each case, the airline said.

Qantas revokes ban on passenger who left plane amid asylum protest | Qantas | The Guardian

Business traveller and colleague asked to leave flight after an activist stood up before takeoff and urged other passengers to do the same

amp.theguardian.com

 

[drron]

Of course that assumes that the ABC doesn't make any mistakes. No one has quoted the 2 people who got off the plane.
And why does QF think that getting off the plane was in anyway holding the flight up. The protest was still going on as they left.
I am not concerned with the protester as she defied staff requests to sit down. Is merely agreeing with the aims of a protest reason to be banned.
From the Guardian article in AFP terms it wasn't long before they were cleared.
And another unanswered question who got the AFP to question the 2. They had been called to the lone protester not the 2 who walked off.

 

[justinbrett]

Of course that assumes that the ABC doesn't make any mistakes. No one has quoted the 2 people who got off the plane.

Why the hell do you think they got off the plane? All articles make it clear they were not happy with the situation and wanted off.

And why does QF think that getting off the plane was in anyway holding the flight up. The protest was still going on as they left.

I think QF knows what holds its flights up. The flight had completed boarding, you can’t just walk off. There’s manifest and weight and balance considerations for a start. Did they have bags? Would these people leaving entice other pax to do the same, further delaying the flight?

And another unanswered question who got the AFP to question the 2. They had been called to the lone protester not the 2 who walked off.

Yes, this is the side of the story that we didn’t get told. The guardian article says the male was cleared quickly but not the female, who was said to be the one to call the FA to ask to be let off.

Whatever she said was enough to be questioned by the AFP.

In any case none of this matches your allegation they were banned for their political view. Plenty of people have voiced even stronger views (eg Greens Senators) and they’re not banned - in fact I believe those are even CL members.

No, this was because of their actions on a flight that was disrupted by a protestor. I’m sure others on the flight shared the same views but were smart enough to shut their mouths.

 

[drron]

It is not my allegation but the people who left the plane that it was for political views.
And when they left the protester was still on the plane and she and the Sri Lankan man were taken off the plane afterwards so you hypothesis re baggage and manifests seems to be very marginal.

As for Senators Jacqui Lambie had her CL membership withdrawn. I was in Tassie at the time. but she is known as being pretty feisty.

 

[justinbrett]

As for Senators Jacqui Lambie had her CL membership withdrawn. I was in Tassie at the time. but she is known as being pretty feisty.

She directly abused QF staff, it wasn’t for her political views. She later apologised for this. She’s also pretty far from Greens ideology.

It is not my allegation but the people who left the plane that it was for political views.
And when they left the protester was still on the plane and she and the Sri Lankan man were taken off the plane afterwards so you hypothesis re baggage and manifests seems to be very marginal.

So you’re saying you can delay a flight as long as there’s another pax that’s delaying it longer than you.

Ridiculous.

 

[RooFlyer]

As for Senators Jacqui Lambie had her CL membership withdrawn.

Did she? Well, that's one federal pollie who'll be able to speak about Australian airlines without conflict.

 

[justinbrett]

Did she? Well, that's one federal pollie who'll be able to speak about Australian airlines without conflict.

Nope, she’s back.

Qantas forgives Jacqui Lambie, returns key to the Chairman’s Lounge

amp.theage.com.au

 

[CaptJCool]

Qantas bans student who stood up for what she believed in

Victoria University student, Jasmine Pilbrow, who protested the transfer and deportation of a Tamil man to Sri Lanka on board Qantas flight 838 on February 2, has been banned from the airline.

www.smh.com.au

3 people banned but only 1 held the plane up.

Student who protested against asylum seeker's deportation on flight found guilty

Melbourne woman Jasmine Pilbrow found guilty of interfering with an airline crew member for refusing to sit down during protest over the deportation of a Tamil asylum seeker

www.theguardian.com

she's a lawyer (according to LinkedIN) and self-represented.

also, found this of interest - would this be the same guy? TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[drron]

So you’re saying you can delay a flight as long as there’s another pax that’s delaying it longer than you.

Ridiculous.

Not at all. you don't know if they had checked bags and surely the manifest needs to be altered for the 2 taken off later.
I only know 2 things for certain.
1. You don't know what went on.
2. I don't know what went on.
So you stick to sticking up for QF.
And I will keep thinking QF overreacted.

 

[justinbrett]

Not at all. you don't know if they had checked bags and surely the manifest needs to be altered for the 2 taken off later.
I only know 2 things for certain.
1. You don't know what went on.
2. I don't know what went on.
So you stick to sticking up for QF.
And I will keep thinking QF overreacted.

I know the AFP questioned the two and took their details. QF stated policy above is to ban pax until the AFP case is cleared.

The fact that another pax would have required a manifest change doesn’t excuse these pax leaving which would also require a change. If QF allowed pax to leave the cabin after boarding without an emergency or compelling reason that opens a can of worms.

I’m sticking up for the AFP who don’t work for QF. You’re the one that brought up an unrelated airline discussing an unrelated incident, I think that says more about your biases than mine.

 

[robbo135]

Why have we rehashed a story from 2015?

 

[justinbrett]

Why have we rehashed a story from 2015?

Great question.