Outrageous!

[Jarhead0331]

I simply cannot believe this..."Gobsmacked" is the appropriate word.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4833351/Navy-girl-ordered-to-remove-uniform-on-plane.html

Navy girl ordered to remove uniform on Virgin Atlantic flight

A BRAVE British squaddie was ordered to remove her military uniform on a Virgin Atlantic flight from Britain in case it offended other passengers, according to reports.

Royal Navy helicopter technician Nicky Howse was told she would not be allowed on board the plane at Heathrow if she did not remove her combat fatigues.

Petty Officer Howse, 32, was travelling back to her deployment in America after compassionate leave at home in the UK when she tried to catch the flight to Los Angeles.

She was confronted by a security official and Virgin Atlantic staff who asked her to get changed, the Daily Mail reported.

The jobsworth staff got their flight rules wrong by telling Nicky, from Ipswich, Suffolk that the company did not allow military personnel to fly in uniform.

In an email to a friend, she wrote: "It was horrific. I was made to feel uncomfortable in my own country for wearing the uniform I wear to defend the place.

"It made me ashamed of my country that a British serviceman can't travel in uniform. I was so distressed.

"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.

"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.

"Honestly, I was gobsmacked and horrified. I was so distressed, particularly since the whole reason I was travelling was for a funeral."

A Virgin Atlantic spokesman told the Daily Mail: "This was a completely isolated case in which our staff were incorrectly advised by a security agent.

"We have made contact with the passenger in question to express our deep regret for any upset caused."

[undercovergeek]

how is a ****-pot security company like G4S advising Virgin staff on their own security policy

Fkng disgusting, i know she felt humiliated but im sure if she had the balls to shout out to all the passengers at the gate if they minded her wearing her uniform she would have been applauded by all

[LongBlade]

What is wrong with traveling in uniform? Those people are idiots.

[undercovergeek]

What is wrong with traveling in uniform? Those people are idiots.

honestly?

its so that all the afghanistan/iraqi passengers dont get upset

theyre allowed to line the street and boo our troops when they come home and IIRC they tried a protest at Wootton Bassett where all the coffins come through but they soon got 'taken away'

[LongBlade]

What is wrong with traveling in uniform? Those people are idiots.

honestly?

its so that all the afghanistan/iraqi passengers dont get upset

I say let them walk if it offends them.

[undercovergeek]

What is wrong with traveling in uniform? Those people are idiots.

honestly?

its so that all the afghanistan/iraqi passengers dont get upset

I say let them walk if it offends them.

amen to that, but you havent a hope in hell of that happening here

'Racist airline company made me sit next to murderer' would be all over the tabloids the next day, Virgin would be sued for millions for the distress caused to the passenger and youd get a lawyer at the bottom of all stairways on future flights asking if passengers had to sit next to servicemen in uniform

[bayonetbrant]

how is a ****-pot security company like G4S advising Virgin staff on their own security policy

they're the 'cops' at many UK airports - that's how.  They're the ones contracted to provide security b/c the UK doesn't yet have its own Department of Idiotic Travel Conformity, er... Department of HomeMotherLand Security.

[undercovergeek]

how is a ****-pot security company like G4S advising Virgin staff on their own security policy

they're the 'cops' at many UK airports - that's how.  They're the ones contracted to provide security b/c the UK doesn't yet have its own Department of Idiotic Travel Conformity, er... Department of HomeMotherLand Security.

oh yeah i know that, these are the guys that fkd up the olympic security and we had to draft in soldiers - the bill was passed to G4S

what i dont get is some fkwitted security guard leaning over at checkin and saying to the Virgin rep - you guys dont let uniforms on planes

to which the reply should have been - mind your own frikking business, i work for Virgin not you

[Gusington]

Curious as what the country of.origin is for the security guard and if he was a Muslim or not.

[Longdan]

If I was a muslim I would be tearing my beard and screaming some crap about jihad, however I do not do the religion thing.  :'(
The airline people and the security people and the cops all wear uniforms and uniformed military people travel all over.
This is just nuts.  You stop where you are and demand a supervisor and failing that a cop or do what that Chinese guy did.

[undercovergeek]

If I was a muslim I would be tearing my beard and screaming some crap about jihad, however I do not do the religion thing.  :'(
The airline people and the security people and the cops all wear uniforms and uniformed military people travel all over.
This is just nuts.  You stop where you are and demand a supervisor and failing that a cop or do what that Chinese guy did.

start making jackie chan films?

[Longdan]

You know the guy in that viral video doing the Jackie Chan imitation.
Jackie Chan films are wonderful.

[undercovergeek]

You know the guy in that viral video doing the Jackie Chan imitation.
Jackie Chan films are wonderful.

he was the first famous chinese person that popped into my head - i have no idea what chinese person youre referring to

[Longdan]

He is on a thread hereabouts over at Enigmas http://grogheads.com/forums/index.php?topic=4929.0

[Toonces]

I'm glad that isn't actually the airline's policy.

On the other hand, she shouldn't have been travelling in combat fatigues in the first place to her deployment in America.  That's international travel 101 for military members.