Australian Airline Qantas Bans Anti-Bush Speech on Airlines

[snapcat]

From AmericaBlog ...

This is rather offensive, and scary to boot. Qantas didn't just ban a guy from wearing an anti-Bush t-shirt on their flights, they defended what they did by banning all anti-Bush speech on their airline, verbal comments as well. Passengers flying Qantas are no longer permitted to say anything that might offend another passenger, including criticism of George Bush, or they are thrown off the airline.

From the BBC:

A Qantas spokesman defended the airline's decision, saying: "Whether made verbally or on a T-shirt, comments with the potential to offend other customers or threaten the security of a Qantas group aircraft will not be tolerated".​

They didn't just ban t-shirts, they banned all speech, verbal as well. So if I as a customer find Qantas' policy offensive does that mean we can throw them off their airlines? How about a religious extremist customer who is offended when I tell him I'm gay?

 

[JayHawk]

It is political correctness in action in business....overreaction.

 

[JayHawk]

The BBC also exemplifies bias with the caption "Quantas believes picture of Bush cold offend"

 

[josefjosef]

Let that man fly Air Iran with a T-Shirt critical of that regime - and let's see how much courage he would have.

It is people like the T-Shirt nut who stress out the limits of intelligent reason -
it is not even worth talking about - Qantas did a good job.

 

[Ramindra]

The guy was deliberately taunting Qantas. He wanted to make an issue of it nut really he is nothing more than a media whore.

 

[Raybee]

Quite frankly, the fact that Qantas masquerades as being an Australian Airline is offensive to me.

That said, all Qantas are saying is that they don't want their passengers to have to sit nervously for a 12 hr flight from Sydney to L.A, wondering if the man spieling anti-Bush sentiments is going to try and make his point in a more explosive manner. I can understand that.

Still, it galls me to defend an airline that, for several reasons,is no longer worth pissing on.

 

[Legend500]

Qantas is a private business. It can do what it wants. If it wants to deny boarding to someone, fine.

This should be of some concern if it was a governmental rule, but otherwise, tough cookie.

 

[sparky95]

Another reason not to fly that crapola airline!

 

[_AJ_]

Qantas is a lot like Al-Qaeda.



They are two of the very few words in English where the "Q" is not followed by a "U".

QANTAS isnt a word its an acronym it stands for

Queensland and Northern Territorial Aerial Services Limited

 

[_AJ_]

^ So, is Al-Qaeda the Airline of Queensland and the Eastern District Area?

i wouldn't travel with that airline

they have appalling customer service and a 100% mortality rate not fun at all

 

[190E]

I think this is bullshit. It's an attack on civil liberties by a corporation, and is borderline corruption to me. All Americans are guaranteed certain civil liberties under the constitution and this is infringing upon them. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear a lawsuit come of this.

 

[chance1]

Don't fly Quantas

that's the solution