After being removed from a flight for too much PDA with her girlfriend, actress Leisha Hailey accused Southwest Airlines of targeting her because of her sexuality. She also criticized the airline for hiring “homophobic employees."
According to reports, flight attendants had the 40-year-old ‘L Word’ actress and her girlfriend of 5 years, fashion designer Nina Garduno, removed after other passengers complained about their excessive kissing. In a series of Tweets, Hailey claims they airline simply discriminated against them because they are lesbians.
"I have been discriminated against by @SouthwestAir,” she Tweeted. “Flt. attendant said that it was a "family" airline and kissing was not ok.”
"Since when is showing affection towards someone you love illegal? I want to know what Southwest Airlines considers as 'family.' I know plenty of wonderful same sex families I would like to introduce them to,” she continued.
“Boycott @SouthwestAir if you are gay. They don't like us,” Hailey added.
In a statement released Monday, Southwest said the women were removed for their behavior, not because of their gender.
“We received several passenger complaints characterizing the behavior as excessive,” Southwest said. "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."
This is not the first time Southwest has been the center of controversy for removing passengers from a flight. Earlier this month, Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong was escorted off a flight because his pants were too low.
"Just got kicked off a Southwest flight because my pants sagged too low!" Armstrong Tweeted after the incident. "What the f-? No joke!"
In February 2010, actor-director Kevin Smith was booted from a flight because the airline said he was too fat to safely occupy one seat.
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