Qantas Flight Attendant Wore Palestinian Flag Pin on Their Uniform

[justinbrett]

Speaking of political views, VH seems a lot more pro Christmas than AJ was

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Prepares popcorn to see how this plays out. Two wrongs don’t make a right? Or pax wrong is worse than staff wrong? Or some other combination?

The staff ‘wrong’ was a uniform violation, if wearing the flag is against the company policy. There doesn’t appear any intent to cause harm.

The poster of the photo, Harrison Grafanakis, is the Liberal Party President of Tasmania. It appears the poster may have been a former staffer in the Liberal party.

When asked how the wearing of the badges made him feel, or affected him, he appears at times unable to answer, eventually offering that he felt ‘intimidated’, that he did not feel safe, and that the crew should be focussing on their job, which is to serve passengers. To which he added the service was ‘poor’.

A possible reason for his actions was hinted to in his comment that he feels Qantas engages ‘time and time again’ in political activism.

I posted earlier that perhaps taking this up directly with Qantas would have been the most appropriate way if the motivation was to build community harmony. A reply, a reasonable one, was that any contact with Qantas might have ended up with a generic reply and a lengthy wait time.

As a Liberal Party President, that seems less likely. Not a party president, but I wonder given the sensitivity of the issue, it might not have been raised through different channels?

 

[CaptJCool]

apparently Steve Miles went on holidays for one day to the Sunny Coast and was criticised because he had harshly criticised ScoMo

once that infor about who reported it, the games all over - it was a partisan

 

[justinbrett]

The poster of the photo, Harrison Grafanakis, is the Liberal Party President of Tasmania.

That is misinformation. He previously worked as a staffer for several months in a junior role, he doesn’t have a current role and never held a position such as that you claim. A quick search of the official website in question will give you the name of the person who actually holds that position.

Not that it in anyway makes any difference to the story.

 

[encryptededdy]

Yea, I saw that in the news article and I understand that the pax was offended, given what's been happening with Israel & Palestine ... but my thought process is, yes, they are offended and they called it out .. but does it have to be called out in the or via news? Could there have been a different way this issue could have been handled ... again, there is no right or wrong answers and chances are I'm very off in my comment, but everyone does things that might offend/anger/irritate the next person ... but taking everything to a news outlet, is that the best way?

Ack that this is OT, so happy for this comment to be handled as appropriate.

For better or for worse (IMO for worse), I feel like making it a big deal, into the news etc. was exactly the intent of the passenger.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That is misinformation. He previously worked as a staffer for several months in a junior role, he doesn’t have a current role and never held a position such as that you claim. A quick search of the official website in question will give you the name of the person who actually holds that position.

Not that it in anyway makes any difference to the story.

It seems the title came from a post on X, and was picked up by other media, for example: Airline crew ‘counselled’ after wearing Palestinian badges on board flight

I have corrected my post above to reflect the correct position.

 

[JessicaTam]

[mod hat]
Thread title amended.
[/mod hat]

 

[justinbrett]

For better or for worse (IMO for worse), I feel like making it a big deal, into the news etc. was exactly the intent of the passenger.

Sadly the only way to get any response out of Qantas or any airline these days.

 

[QF WP]

Another member of AFF had sent the video of the complainants media interview:

I don't think he's had much media exposure, maybe this is his 15 seconds of fame (well maybe a little more).

 

[TheInsider]

I don't think he's had much media exposure, maybe this is his 15 seconds of fame well maybe a little more).

Just trying to make a 'name' for himself it seems.

 

[p--and--t]

Another member of AFF had sent the video of the complainants media interview:

I don't think he's had much media exposure, maybe this is his 15 seconds of fame well maybe a little more).

IMHO - total w.nker

 

[DejaBrew]

Another member of AFF had sent the video of the complainants media interview:

I don't think he's had much media exposure, maybe this is his 15 seconds of fame (well maybe a little more).

Noting in that video how he seems to mock the idea that he could be mistaken as Jewish when he smirks and says "...I'm Greek, so not Jewish at all." I'm waiting for the Romaniotes to take offence to that.

Just trying to make a 'name' for himself it seems.

Rather amusingly, "Harry Grafa" (as he is better known according to this "anonymous" press release... ) has also updated his LinkedIn profile picture to be a snap from his Sky News interview. So no... not trying to make a name for himself at all

 

[love_the_life]

And I am saddened that this rush to the media and complaint possibly would not have occurred if the flag badge being worn was Israeli. Not entering into a political debate but this reflects the tenor of many media outlets.

 

[DejaBrew]

And I am saddened that this rush to the media and complaint possibly would not have occurred if the flag badge being worn was Israeli. Not entering into a political debate but this reflects the tenor of many media outlets.

Bingo! Similarly, not taking sides on the political debate, but completely agree that the media is all too often one-sided when it comes to this sort of "news" and "moral outrage".

 

[p--and--t]

And I am saddened that this rush to the media and complaint possibly would not have occurred if the flag badge being worn was Israeli. Not entering into a political debate but this reflects the tenor of many media outlets.

Racism is rife

 

[drron]

I really couldn't care less that this FA wore a palestinian flag. As long as they don't harass people i think they have every right to wear such a badge. I in fact don't agree with QF about the wearing of a national flag even if it is worn as a protest.

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I really couldn't care less that this FA wore a palestinian flag. As long as they don't harass people i think they have every right to wear such a badge. I in fact don't agree with QF about the wearing of a national flag even if it is worn as a protest.

I've watched this thread, and this story more broadly, unfold for the last day or so. I've kept quiet in relation to it and absorbed a range of dialogues, across a number of channels. And to be clear from the outset, I am Jewish. In my mind, the question here isn't exclusively about whether the FA harassed the passenger, but concurrently about whether the passenger felt intimidated. Now I absolutely acknowledge that "Harry Grafa" is not Jewish and appears to have been looking for some attention. He clearly wasn't intimidated by the flag. I do not agree with his approach to this issue.

But with that said, had I been a passenger with this FA, as a Jew, I absolutely would have felt intimidated. I have had convoys driving through my suburb, which is a hotspot for people of my faith, with Palestinian flags chanting "from the river to the sea" with no intention other than to provoke and instil fear. I have seen anti-Israel and anti-Jewish posters plastered over 'free the hostages' posters, again in my area, which has one of Sydney's largest Jewish populations. I have seen the steps of the Sydney Opera House flooded with these same flags while chants of "gas the Jews" ring out. So when you view the FA's actions through this lens, it shouldn't be difficult to see why a Jewish person may have felt intimidated in these circumstances, being trapped in a metal tube travelling through the air, with minimal (no) safeguards and protections.

One thing that I've really come to grapple with over the last few months is that multiple things can be true at the same time - it may be true that the FA wasn't harassing anyone and didn't have the slightest intention to do so, but it may also be true that someone could nonetheless feel intimidated by the flag in a confined, inescapable environment.

Qantas has made it clear that they do not wish to get involved in the politics behind the issue, understandably so. It is then for them to ensure that their employees adhere to the policies they put in place. I have absolutely no issue with whatever views the FA in question may have, but I don't believe an airplane is an appropriate or safe place to push these views.

 

[justinbrett]

This thread shows how divisive this topic is and how people have different views, and completely understandable why Qantas doesn't want to be anywhere near it.

I thought the QF statement was well put and that really should be the end of it.

 

[p--and--t]

A storm in a teacup.

I get nervous on any form of public transport next to a burly passenger in a heavy metal or bikie group t-shirt and covered in aggressive tattoos.

The difference is I deal with it, and I don’t run to Sky news to make all sorts of ridiculous statements

 

[Flyinfish]

Depending on your political views you may have been offended... but intimidated? By an FA on a Qantas flight? That's a bit precious.