Frequent flyer banned by Alaska Airlines after harassment claim
A male passenger has called out Alaska Airlines for ‘reverse discrimination against men’ after the airline banned him for alleged harassment.
Mike Timon, 53 said he has been accused of touching a flight attendant’s rear end during a flight last week, a charge he denies.
Timon was in the first class cabin on a Portland to San Diego flight when he says he ‘politely’ touched the back of the flight attendant to order a drink, and not her buttocks.
He was accused of sexual misconduct and was escorted off the plane by police on arrival.
Alaska said it ‘will not be providing further transport to the offending passenger’ until the conclusion of an investigation, according to airline spokeswoman Ann Johnson.
"Alaska Airlines will not tolerate any type of sexual misconduct that creates an unsafe environment for our guests and crew members and we are fully committed to do our part to address this serious issue," she said.
Timon says the current climate of outing cases of sexual harassment has gone too far.
"What about us guys? "I can’t tap a flight attendant on her back to politely ask for something, yet I get accused of something? It’s out of control," he told the San Diego Union-Tribune.
"For me to be accused of this and for me to be escorted off the plane by police? It’s unnecessary. It’s discrimination toward me," he added.
Timon, a frequent flyer with the airline, says he has been in contact with an attorney and may bring legal action.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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