Last June, Gilbert Caldwell married David Farrell, his partner of 34 years, becoming one of 18,000 same-sex couples who married in California after the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions. In accordance with California law, same-sex marriages performed in the state between June and November 2008 are to be legally recognized, meaning that same-sex spouses and domestic partners are to be treated the same as heterosexual married couples in employment, housing, insurance and commerce.
Gilbert, registered as Farrell’s domestic partner since 2002, has worked for SkyWest in Palm Springs, California, for the past five years as a baggage attendant. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Caldwell says that SkyWest is breaking California state law by refusing to give his husband the free fares it provides to heterosexual spouses. According to SkyWest, Farrell is his “travel companion,” which means he’s entitled to fly at a discounted rate but not for free. Travel companion? I’m a little confused…travel companion? Hmmm.
One of the perks to working for an airline, other than my own personal desire to wear a kicky uniform a la the defunct Braniff Airlines, is not having to pay the exorbitant fares. SkyWest would seem to agree, as the first benefit on its career benefits page states that “one of the many benefits of working at SkyWest is flying FREE.” It goes on to state that effective upon employment, employees, spouses or domestic partners have unlimited space-available travel privileges, as well as substantially reduced fares with most other carriers. There is the requisite disclaimer that “all travel related privileges are subject to eligibility requirements and other restrictions,” yet for the life of me, I cannot find anything on the page that discusses those requirements or restrictions. Again, I say, more emphatically, …hmmm.
A few days ago, Caldwell, and his legal team, Lambda Legal, sent a letter to SkyWest (and Delta Airlines) warning them that their treatment of gay employees’ spouses and registered domestic partners violates not only the airline's own policies but also California law.
Caldwell’s complaint is one of the first to come to light by any of the same-sex couples that married in the short window before Prop 8 was passed in California. If Caldwell and Farrell are legally married under the ever watchful eyes of the law, then why isn’t Caldwell allowed to give his husband the free flight opportunities that his straight married colleagues are? Stepping away from the social and legal issue here regarding same-sex marriage, let’s focus on SkyWest as a company and what exactly it is communicating to its straight and gay employees, as well as its vast consumer audience? As a straight ally, I’m certainly less likely to want to fly on SkyWest knowing that it refuses to grant the same privileges to its employees based on sexual orientation. So, SkyWest, if you want my business or to tap into the vast buying power of the LGBT community, may I suggest you take a look at this posting? I think you just might recognize some of the companies on that list…
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