F' them. I'm never going to fly Virgin Airways after reading this story from The Mail newspaper in the UK. They forced a soldier to remove her uniform if she wanted to fly back home to England. How can they treat their own service people like that? Apparently it is NOT a corporate policy but it was enforced on a flight coming back into England.
What a way to treat a heroine: Royal Navy girl who fought in Afghanistan told to cover up uniform on Virgin flight in case it offended other passengers
Nicky Howse was ordered to remove her uniform before boarding a flight
Virgin Atlantic staff wrongly told her it was company policy not to allow military personnel to travel in uniform
By IAN DRURY
PUBLISHED: 17:59 EST, 8 March 2013 | UPDATED: 20:23 EST, 8 March 2013
For 15 years she has proudly served her country as a Royal Navy engineer, risking her life in Afghanistan when she fought against the Taliban.
But far from showing Nicky Howse the respect she deserved as she flew back to her latest posting, Virgin Atlantic staff chose to humiliate her – by demanding that she remove her uniform because it was ‘offensive’.
They warned the 32-year-old helicopter technician she would not be allowed to fly unless she took off her combat fatigues and wore a sleep suit instead.
. . .
She told her friend: ‘It started at check-in. Some G4S security guy gave me the third degree about travelling in uniform. I was fuming. He was rude, he wouldn’t let the check-in girl give me my passport.
‘I was shaking with rage. I thought it was all done. But when I got to the departure gate I was taken to the side by the flight supervisor and they said I wasn’t allowed to fly in uniform and had to wear a sleep suit. I then stood feeling completely humiliated with other passengers, clearly curious as to what was going on, staring at me, waiting for him to come back with the black pyjamas.
‘I asked if it was Virgin policy, they said “Yes”. I refused to wear it until after I was on board then still refused but basically got told I’d be asked to leave the flight if I didn’t take it off or cover it up.’
She told her friend: ‘I was basically told it was because “We don’t only fly British passengers” and told it was seen as a threat. I went ballistic. I said “In the country I defend I can’t wear my uniform?”
‘They then said it was for my own safety to stop abuse to which I replied I can deal with that myself if it arises as I did in Afghanistan.
STORY CONTINUES AT LINK BELOW:
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...t-case-offended-passengers.html#ixzz2N5xhnlvr
Nicky Howse was ordered to remove her uniform before boarding a flight
Virgin Atlantic staff wrongly told her it was company policy not to allow military personnel to travel in uniform
By IAN DRURY
PUBLISHED: 17:59 EST, 8 March 2013 | UPDATED: 20:23 EST, 8 March 2013
For 15 years she has proudly served her country as a Royal Navy engineer, risking her life in Afghanistan when she fought against the Taliban.
But far from showing Nicky Howse the respect she deserved as she flew back to her latest posting, Virgin Atlantic staff chose to humiliate her – by demanding that she remove her uniform because it was ‘offensive’.
They warned the 32-year-old helicopter technician she would not be allowed to fly unless she took off her combat fatigues and wore a sleep suit instead.
. . .
She told her friend: ‘It started at check-in. Some G4S security guy gave me the third degree about travelling in uniform. I was fuming. He was rude, he wouldn’t let the check-in girl give me my passport.
‘I was shaking with rage. I thought it was all done. But when I got to the departure gate I was taken to the side by the flight supervisor and they said I wasn’t allowed to fly in uniform and had to wear a sleep suit. I then stood feeling completely humiliated with other passengers, clearly curious as to what was going on, staring at me, waiting for him to come back with the black pyjamas.
‘I asked if it was Virgin policy, they said “Yes”. I refused to wear it until after I was on board then still refused but basically got told I’d be asked to leave the flight if I didn’t take it off or cover it up.’
She told her friend: ‘I was basically told it was because “We don’t only fly British passengers” and told it was seen as a threat. I went ballistic. I said “In the country I defend I can’t wear my uniform?”
‘They then said it was for my own safety to stop abuse to which I replied I can deal with that myself if it arises as I did in Afghanistan.
STORY CONTINUES AT LINK BELOW:
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...t-case-offended-passengers.html#ixzz2N5xhnlvr
