An actress claims Southwest Airlines discriminated against her for kissing her girlfriend on a flight from Baltimore to St. Louis.
Leisha Hailey, who stars in the Showtime series "The L-Word," said airline personnel escorted her off the plane when it landed in St. Louis.
Southwest Airlines said several passengers had complained that the on-air affection shared by Hailey and her girlfriend was excessive.
Hailey called for a boycott of the airline on Twitter, writing: "I have been discriminated against by @SouthwestAir. Flt. attendant said that it was a "family" airline and kissing was not ok."
She later called for a boycott of the airline.
According to the airline, a conversation about Hailey's kissing that started in the air continued on the ground.
In a statement on their site, Southwest wrote:
Our crew, responsible for the comfort of all Customers on board, approached the passengers based solely on behavior and not gender. The conversation escalated to a level that was better resolved on the ground, as opposed to in flight.
Southwest's website says it is the official airline of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.
Herndon Graddick, senior director of programs at GLAAD, said in an email to the AP that ``GLAAD contacted Southwest to call for additional actions beyond tonight's statement that ensure all customers feel comfortable and welcomed while traveling.''
