Businessman sues BA 'for treating men like perverts'

Businessman sues BA 'for treating men like perverts'

www.dailymail.co.u k

A businessman is suing British Airways over a policy that bans male passengers from sitting next to children they don't know - even if the child's parents are on the same flight.

Mirko Fischer has accused the airline of branding all men as potential sex offenders and says innocent travellers are being publicly humiliated.

In line with the policy, BA cabin crew patrol the aisles before take-off checking that youngsters travelling on their own or in a different row from their parents are not next to a male stranger.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I don't usually post breaking news stories but this one really gets my back up.

I find it completely outragious that a company like BA can get away with this and probably have done for a long time.

If the airline believes that only male passengers are potential perverts then they should read the news more often. Headlines often include stories of females abusing young kids in their care and to single out men is just ignorant. Who the heck makes these dumb decisions?

If BA are worried enough to ground a plane until a situation like this is resolved then why aren't they worried enough to actually do something about it before passengers are seated. Why not deal with this at the check-in and save the embarresment of innocent men, the possible delay to other passengers and also the confusion and isolation of young kids who may be scared stiff of flying or being on their own?

Mr Fischer was sat next to his pregnant wife for pity's sake, I hardly think he's going to jepordise the rest of his life by doing something immoral in a plane full of witnesses! Has there EVER been a case of child abuse on a public flight?

I admire Mr Fischer for standing up to them by taking them to court, I also admire him for paying all his own legal costs and offering to donate any compensation to the NSPCC. This comes not a moment too soon and without his keen deduction of what was occuring this could have gone under the radar for years to come.

The steward is not to blame in this, he was just following orders, although broadcasting the situation to the other travellers by raising his voice was unneccessary I think.

I hope this turns out OK and that the secret branding of any male passenger as a possible pervert is put to rest.

I wonder how far up the ladder the blame will be passed and if a scapegoat will get axed because of the ignorant decision by a third party or parties which has no place in the real world?

I also wonder why the child was not moved instead which would seem like a better way to deal with this.

Has anyone here had or witnessed a similar experience with British Airways or another airline? I'd be interested to know.

I can't wait to read about the court case and wish Mr Fischer good luck against these rogues.

Cheers...a potential pervert.

www.dailymail.co.u k
(visit the link for the full news article)

This is outrageous! Great story by the way, I cant believe this is actually a story though...


oh wait. I can.

Were not scared enough. Once we desensitize ourselves from the ''scariness'' of aliens, crazy flu, or rogue murdering yeti monsters, they have no place else to go but to make you afraid that the man sitting next to your child will publicly molest him/her... on a FLIGHT, no less.

Have they implemented a policy yet where you have to prove you are your childs parents in public yet? So you can prove your not a sex offender???

Cop:
''Whoa whoa, slow down Mister''

Father:
''What? Im late for my daughters soccer game?''

Cop:
''Oh, a soccer game is it? Or is it one of your crazy child rape parties, weve been hearing alot about those lately, *turns to child*, is this man your captor? *turns back to father*, let me see those child ownership papers, or you're going to jail, PERV!''



Slippery slope rant - END.

Originally posted by Tanulis
Have they implemented a policy yet where you have to prove you are your childs parents in public yet? So you can prove your not a sex offender???

I understand your point but that doesn't neccessarily mean a parent isn't a sex offender does it?

A lot of cases are probably commited by a parent don't you think? They feel more secure in their actions I imagine.

reply to post by nerbot


No I understand, and I dont know the statistics for a molested child whether by parents or otherwise. But I was playing on the suspicion of government/companies automatically assuming that because I have a little girl with me who is my daughter, I am suddenly a sex offender.

Still, awesome post by you though. I hope the court acts in his favor. We can both agree that its utter BS. lol

[edit on 16-1-2010 by Tanulis]

reply to post by nerbot


Most paedophiles are known to the child ie a family member or close friend of the family. In any case this sort of thinking is rampant across the UK and it's disgusting. It is not protecting children it is simply dismantling the trust and bond between adults and children. Where everything you say or do has to go through a filter in your brain because of the "paedophiles are around every corner waiting to pounce" sort of psyche that is embedded in our society through the media.

[edit on 16-1-2010 by Solomons]

This fear of molesters is infecting reality and turning it into something much less pleasant. I can't recall ever reading about sexual abuse occurring on aircraft. This modern implication that all men are potential molesters is unfounded and offensive. It's similar to early feminista accusation that all men are potential rapists. Equally disgusting.

The upshot is that the accusation has created a general paranoia that seems to be increasing over time.

Last year I saw a girl, maybe 7/8, in a Walmart/ASDA car park. She looked distressed and seemed to be looking for her parents. I was by myself and felt uneasy asking her what was the matter? I walked past to the car and paused until a woman spoke to the kid. I then drove away. I was scared to look like a bad guy, be accused of being a bad guy or have her parents think I was a pervert or something. The situation plagued me all that day.

When men are too scared to intervene and help a child because of what people might think...children are LESS safe, not more.

Having flown BA for many years, both on my own (business) and holidays, BA do have policy of putting families with children above even card holders.

Last time on holiday, the call centre were quote happy to seperate my wife and I so a family could sit together. The saving grace was at the airport. The check staff just sorted the problem.

If this was me, I was have waited BA out and caused a huge scene. If we believe the story, the BA crew raised voices to make a point. I would have dug my heels and caused the flight to be delayed and demanded to see the captain.

And when I was youger and flow on my own to visit family, I was escorted from check-in to my family at the other end, by a member of the airline crew.

Well done to Mr Fischer to making a stand.

So we're all guilty until proven innocent. What a Police State dream for them. They harrass innocent people for potential crimes and then turn around and strip your whole family with x-ray machines in the terminal. The people who are viewing the images are in a separate room and the images can be saved and transfered. So it's OK for the government to engage in child porn in the terminal and turn around and accuse you of thought crimes on the plane. Wow, what a wonderful tool 'terrorism' has been for these freaks!

I'm glad I don't fly anywhere, nor will I ever again!

problem: pedophiles are everywhere

reaction: fear, sheep like cries for protection

solution: increased govt. control

yes, you've seen this material before.

This has nothing to do with child molestation and everything to do with lawsuits. The get rich quick lawyers and their bull# lawsuits are the cause. In the event that a child does get molested on one of it's flights, BA can point to the policy and say that they tried to prevent it.

Typically child molestors seek a private place where they can do their evil in secret.

The idea that a predator is going to commit this crime in a jet filled with people, who are within a yard of them on all sides, does not in any way conform with reality or previous behavior patterns of molestors.

From what I have read, they typically attempt to gain trust and then get access to the child via the trust.

BA is whistling past the graveyard. This is typical hegelian dialectic, designed to create a mindset in the population.

Sorry, pervs are everywhere. Most of them are men.

Having led a mostly unsupervised childhood, I assure you, an awful lot of your compatriots males are pervs.

Having had men sitting next to me on public transit try to molest me, more than once, I'm sorry to tell you that it is safer to sit next to a woman.

More of you are pervs than get caught by a long shot.


Does it bother me? You bet. It makes me sad that someone might judge my husband as scary because he's big. It saddens me that one day someone is going to look askance at my son and wonder if they need to be concerned about him.

My husband is a lovely man. It bothers him too.

Only he isn't angry at the authorities - he is angry AT THE PERVS.

I like him. He is smart enough to direct his energy and anger at the correct source of his troubles.

[edit on 2010/1/16 by Aeons]

reply to post by Aeons


Yes..."pervs" are everywhere, but I think you need to understand the difference between "perversion" and "child abuse".

"Perversion" isn't neccessarily associated with just children is it and can be applied to adult relationships too.

I'm sorry to hear you had some bad encounters as a child but don't let that convince you that more men are child abusers than really are. It's reports like this that fuel your fire BUT the only crime being commited here is sexual discrimination against (innocent) men?

You say your husband is a "big man" and you say he is a "lovely man" too, but it makes you sad to think someone sees him as "scary".

If you think a man sitting alone on a bus is possibly a sexual threat because of events in your past, then you must also accept that some people will see your husband as a threat because of events in their past. Bullies and thugs can leave very long lasting mental scars aswell.

Cheers.

And people will judge him as being potentially scary. Men and women. Because of his size, and build.

And frankly, when you get on the bus, you size people up as well.


You should not underestimate the perverts, anymore that I should assign what isn't there to all people.

Pretending that reasonable caution is unreasonable because you want to underestimate a cross section of the populace isn't fair or reasonable.

My children are NOT experiments for you to try out your social experiment on.

You would like me to be less vigilant. I have indeed done exactly that. And every time I find that one of you walking around immediately picks up on it.

Are all men like this? No. But the ones that are, they are sneaky, and motivated and all they are looking for is a moment of plausible disbelief to take advantage of.

You want to provide them MORE plausibility because it suits YOU.

When it comes right down to it, even the best man on the planet prefers that his lost child talk to a woman with a stroller.

Originally posted by Aeons
My children are NOT experiments for you to try out your social experiment on.

What the hell are you talking about? I hardly think informing others of sexual discrimination and unjustified prejudice has anything to do with a "social experiment".

You would like me to be less vigilant.

NO...like I said in my previous post..educate your children, it's the right thing to do, but to scaremonger them with false belief is plain stupid and playing into the hands of those who want you to live in FEAR. You cannot shelter your children from a world they WILL have to face. Prepare them with knowledge, not fear.

And every time I find that one of you walking around immediately picks up on it.

So you are branding me as "one of them" based on your deluded conclusions...IGNORANT beyond belief!

You want to provide them MORE plausibility because it suits YOU.

What on earth are you talking about? Plausibility doesn't come into it. Let me repeat what I and others have said....there is NO EVIDENCE of ANY child being abused while on a public flight EVER! If you know better, please post your facts and evidence.

When it comes right down to it, even the best man on the planet prefers that his lost child talk to a woman with a stroller.


Agreed, but if a woman with a stroller isn't around you would be GRATEFUL that a man could be there to help, but with the fear that people like YOU are spreading and falsely believing, that lost child may be left to wander unaided because of the fear of retribution simply because we are men.

You are denying you own family the chance of safety with your narrow minded perception of trust.

I wish you good luck, but unfortunately I am going to have to christen my "ignore list" by adding you to it.

Good day.

Originally posted by JIMC5499
This has nothing to do with child molestation and everything to do with lawsuits. The get rich quick lawyers and their bull# lawsuits are the cause. In the event that a child does get molested on one of it's flights, BA can point to the policy and say that they tried to prevent it.

A few points:

1) Did you read the article or OP? If so, I'm surprised some of the facts of the case didn't penetrate.

If not, it really does help.

2) How, exactly, would a child get molested on a flight? Have you flown before? Have you ever read about or know about or can find information on any child being molested on an airplane before?

I fail to see where your point is coming from.

British paranoia about pedophiles long since passed any sense of reality.

These days, any male over the age of 30 with a MySpace account can consider himself under police supervision.

I'd like to see them move a Muslim male dressed in full garb, that would give them a conflict of PC interests - white middle aged males on the other hand can be persecuted to any extent.

It appears they have however found the last British male who has not been completely emsculated by their insane PC culture.

Originally posted by Retseh
It appears they have however found the last British male who has not been completely emsculated by their insane PC culture.

I'm not sure if Mr Fischer is British. The article only states that he lives in Luxembourg and not what nationality he is.

I understand your point about imasculation though.

Seems like in this day and age, any excuse to put anyone down for any reason is pushed into the forefront of news stories, good, bad and ugly.

I bet most of the people who make up these stupid regulations hardly ever brush shoulders with everyday people and are probably trying to avert peoples attention from their own sexual, financial, political and social deviations.

The gap gets greater every day...the further they push, the more energy there is in the spring that hopefully will eject these crettins and bring them back down to earth with a bump where the honest and morally sound people reside.

VIVE LA REVOLUTION!

This kind of thing really gets my back up.

like you say they would not DARE move a muslim dressed in all the dress thing - as someone said already.

yes it does seem like prime suspect is any lone or single white male over 30. is as far as they are concerned a paedo.

Findimg my self in that white male age 30+ bracket, I do feel very aquard, I was on a train on a journey sitting by myself and this young kid about 4 or so was running up the isle and tripped and fell down and had a cry not so far from my seat,

I my instinct would be to atleast pick the kid up on his feet and send him back in the other firection towards his mom. like the same as if it were my brothers child. But such is society today- that I felt i just had to sit there and pretend i didnt see and keep reading my paper, and wait for the mother to come up to find him.

What if I help the crying kid to his feet and then his mother came up - then suddenly im near this upset kid and maybe they would only assume I made him fall over etc or even try to charge me with causing it or assult for touching him (that is help him to his feet)

YET: if a woman was sitting where I was and kid fell over, she could help him up, and the mother would come over and be most thankfull.

Thesedays I wont even stop my car to let someone cross the road. If i let them across the road and they fall over or a motorbike come charging through and runs over ther person, then the family of that person can sue me for obligeing to let him cross the road.

What is one supposed to do if like u are in a shopping mall and happen find a kid lost and no one there - the only thing you can do is keep walking! If your a man your going to be prime suspect for attemted abduction. But then if you walk by and later find out on tv this kid went missing you are going to die feeling bad you could of done something. Then if you did nothing and someone had reported seeing you walking from the "scene" where last seen. then your still prime suspect. This is the world today. I think if something like this happened I would have to stop for the kid and shout for the first person i see to be as whitness. IT is best as much as one can to not get involved at all where at all possible - unless a life is indanger

Seriously if I was in the plane and asked to move i would make one hell of a fuss about it. Good on the bloke for suing BA. I hope he wins.