Southwest Airlines has revised its family boarding policy so that "two adults" with children under 6 can board when family boarding is called.
Previously, the policy read "an adult" can board, but this was a problem for a same-sex Naples couple with children in 2017 when they tried to board with their kids and claim they faced discrimination by a Southwest boarding agent.
Southwest Airlines claims that no discrimination took place: "Never has Southwest's Family Boarding Policy taken into account gender or marital status when determining ability to board early."
Grant Morse, 56, one of the fathers involved in the alleged discrimination said otherwise in 2017 and considered legal action. He was traveling with his husband Sam Ballachino, their three children and Ballachino's mother, and while the gate agent allowed a heterosexual couple with a child to board, she stopped Morse and his family.
"She said, 'This is not for you,'" Morse said, recalling the incident to Florida Today. "It was clearly discriminatory behavior. We were clearly profiled." The family had to wait until the entire plane boarded after the gate agent's supervisor backed up the agent's claims. They were told four seats had been saved in the back of the plane, but that wasn't the case.
At the time, Morse contacted Southwest to complain and received a generic response that indicated the airline was sorry for their experience. The airline supposedly investigated the incident and in 2017 said, "The conversation in the boarding area had nothing to do with discrimination. We welcomed both parents to board the aircraft with their children. The parents expressed disappointment that the Family Boarding policy did not apply to another member of their group."
Southwest provided the family a $300 voucher and another apology, but Morse wanted change. He contacted the National Center for Lesbian Rights and received help from Orrick, an international law firm.
"A year later we were filing suit and the attorneys were working back and forth, and (Southwest) said that they would like to meet us at their corporate headquarters," Morse said.
In July 2018, Morse and his husband met with 20 airline executives in Dallas and shared his story. "They told us that change would come, they said change takes a lot of time," he said.
Speaking of the meeting, Southwest said in a statement, "The conversation prompted a closer look at the clarity of our policy through the viewpoints of both our customers and employees."
"We were able to engage in meaningful discussions with Southwest regarding the challenges that LGBTQ families face in their everyday lives," Orrick attorney Alvin Lee said in an email. "I am pleased that Southwest has taken certain steps to update its Family Boarding Policy, and that it is attempting to make its airline more welcoming for LGBTQ families."
Speaking of the new policy, Morse said, "We are happy with the resolution," and believes it may have been one rogue employee at fault in 2017. However, his family has still not flown with Southwest since 2017.
"Where we are today, we are reconsidering," he said.
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