World

Gay couple ‘humiliated’ by Emirates staff in Dubai

Emirates issues apology to couple and calls for internal review

News Desk June 16, 2016

UAE officers walk in front of Emirates Airbus A380 plane at the Dubai Airshow, in this file photo taken November 8, 2015. PHOTO: REUTERS

A British gay couple were allegedly humiliated by Emirates staff at Dubai airport after being asked if they were brothers.

Lee Charlton, 42, from Manchester claims Emirates check-in staff laughed at him and his partner when they confirmed they were a couple while travelling from Dubai to Durban with their son Kieran.

According to Charleston, a woman working behind the check-in counter at Dubai airport gave him “quizzical looks” and summoned her manager after asking him whether either Jason or Kieran were his brothers.

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The couple and their son were then taken to an airport back room and left there for two hours and told that their documentation would not allow them to enter South Africa. They nearly missed their connecting flight and were forced to rush across the large airport to catch it just in time, despite originally having a three-hour stop over.

The 42-year-old posted the complaint on his Facebook page, saying, “I am really amazed at the small mindedness of your handling team in Dubai. I have not felt so embarrassed like this because of my sexuality since I was younger. You really need to give culture training to your teams as Dubai is one of the biggest airports in the world and gay people who have adopted will become more frequent.”

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“I could understand this with ground staff who do not work for Emirates but these were your handling staff. Please do something with this email I would be happy to help as I would never want anyone else to go through the same experience. It isn't nice,” he added.

[fbpost link="https://www.facebook.com/Emirates/posts/896572567119160"]

Emirates replied to the complaint, saying, “Hi Lee, we’re sorry to hear you feel this way. We’ll highlight your feedback to our Airport Service team for an internal review. Thanks.”

Homosexuality is illegal in Dubai and gay people have been handed jail sentences of up to two years in the past.

This article originally appeared on Independent.

COMMENTS (30)

ahmed41 | 8 years ago | Reply @gp65: "......Being gay is not a choice, it is an orientation people are born with...'" Yes, their orientation has to do with hormones and biochemicals .........these are factors that occurred at the time of embryonic growth. Homosexuality is observable even in the animal world . All this is not governable or controllable by mere religious laws. Societies have tried through religion to ban it. Has it ever worked, down history ? Leave the Almighty to handle it . He knows best.

Mohammed Abbasi | 8 years ago | Reply Some very sad and judgmental comments here. They were humiliated by the staff of Emirates and thats it. How would you feel if you were insulted because you are Pakistani by Emirates???

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np | 8 years ago | Reply @Whatacountry: @Tom: Arrested for what crime? They were not breaking any law in UAE. Anyway they were not visiting UAE so the question of deportation does not arise. The were simply transiting through UAE airport because hey had Emirates ticket. @Ali: Being gay itself is outlawed in Pakistan let alone adoption. With so much hate and homophobia, please stay in Pakistan and do not travel to places which are more tolerant and liberal to all human beings.

Tom | 8 years ago | Reply The gay couple should have been arrested snd the poir kid put into care. Disgusting filth

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Adoption by gay coupled should be outlawed.

SYED | 8 years ago | Reply Emirates despite being the biggest airline, need an overhaul of their staff. I myself has witnessed discrimination acts (specifically by cabin crew) and also complained to the head cabin crew. Staff training is required not only they know the technicalities of their job but also they must be trained to reject discrimination and treat everybody equally.

Whatacountry | 8 years ago | Reply I think UAE Staff have been very polite. This despicable couple should have been arrested and deported and the child should have been sent to Foster Home. One is amazed at the western society which has adopted and legalised some thing known world over as unnatural till they started Calling it gay. Sick and pathetic.

Tyggar | 8 years ago | Reply They should be happy they were not beheaded in accordance with the Shariat

Last Man Alive | 8 years ago | Reply What to talk about laughing at gays The Thai and Cathay Pacific check in counter people at Bangkok airport would laugh at Pakistanis just for a plain request of a particular seat.

arfan | 8 years ago | Reply Were the gay couple carrying out any abnoxious activities in public?.They were paying emirates customers,so should be treated accordingly,by a international airline,how about million s of innocent boys being molested in Pakistan,Afghanistan,where every body turns a blind eye.First put ur own house in order

Sam | 8 years ago | Reply This has got nothing to do with Gays, any minor travelling to SA needs to have UBC ( unabridged Birth certificate ) reflecting the details of parents. This is to prevent child trafficking and it looks like they did not carry this certificate

Kavita | 8 years ago | Reply Several posters here have cited death for gay people with extremely hateful comments. Sorry to say but they all sound like that Orlando killer Mateen to me. In my mind all those posters are dangerous people and potential mass murderers.

SK | 8 years ago | Reply Obvously, this culture is alien for UAE so cant blame their staff and after all no decent person can respect gays.

Ding | 8 years ago | Reply @Liberal pakistan: So true. I have always thought so. Just like the Orlando shooter. The repressed gayness turns into hate for other gay people who are able to live happy gay lives.

Bhangi | 8 years ago | Reply @Liberal Pakistan: Rock on buddy. Totally agree with you.

Umair Ahmad | 8 years ago | Reply @Liberal pakistan: Ouch!!! Now that was cold for some people. Think before you speak ladies and gentlemen.

charale bird | 8 years ago | Reply Listen you know that country has ruled that homosexuals is illegal. So why are u shocked at how u were treated? Be glad and thankful u weren't arrested or worst, right there in the airport. Don't be an ugly American and insist on your way or America's way when in another country and know how they feel about immoral behavior. This lifestyle will never be accepted by everyone and u know this. And u certainly, aren't going to change this countries mindset anytime soon.

Liberal pakistan | 8 years ago | Reply Majority homophobes are closet gays according to a study..hence the readers who criticize them should know their reality

gp65 | 8 years ago | Reply So many homophobic comments. ET please print rebuttals to each: @Ali: Being gay is not a choice, it is an orientation people are born with. If an orphan is adopted by a gay couple who loves he child, are you saying that is worse of than being an orphan? @javed Ali: What local laws did they disrespect? There is no indication that they were indulging in PDA. In any case they were not visiting Dubai, they were just in transit going from a country where gay marriage is legal TO a country where it is also a legal. @waleed ali: What do you mean 'caught two gays'? There is no indication that they were indulging in PDA. They live in a country where gay marriage is legal and were going to a country where gay marriage is legal. Dubai was just a transit. So what crime did they commit according to you? @adnan gilani: They were not suspected of terrorism. Their only 'crime' was that they were gay.

umair | 8 years ago | Reply @Ali: bhaijaan there are many gay parents in the west. the child's life is not "ruined". the reason they adopt a child is because that perticular child is abandoned hence the childs life is infact saved in a way. and secondly having gay parents doesnt necessarily change the sexual inclination of the child. i dont endorse homosexuality but ive learned to tolerate them, so should you as your comments are way off reality.

Vaqas | 8 years ago | Reply All the homophobic commenters apparently can't read English. They were in transit. They never left the airport and were booked for South Africa, which was one of the first countries to legalise gay marriage. They committed no crime, but some bigoted airport staffer believed her opinions were above the law of the couple's home country and the one they were flying to.

Usman | 8 years ago | Reply People who are criticizing gay people for being gay please explain who gave you a right to do so? what religious authority do you have? are you a perfect Muslim yourself with 0 sins? unless someone cause any kind of harm on you or others you have no right to judge others mind your own business please.

Fawad | 8 years ago | Reply Here all the readers don't like homosexuals and want to punish them. The Orlando killer had same intention, he went overboard with punishment, but nevertheless he wanted to punish homosexuals. Please look into why you don't like them, or hate them.

adnan gilani | 8 years ago | Reply Gays demands equal rights, yet whine like gays when treated equally. 2 hour questioning is nothing out of the ordinary. What if a terrorist pair enters an airport claiming to be 'partners'? They can easily overpower an armed guard and start their massacre from there after taking just one traveler hostage to disarm nearby security.

Jamshed | 8 years ago | Reply @Hamdani: So we should start punishing people you don't like with arbitrary laws. Who else do you not like? Shias or is it Sunnis? Do you dislike africans? Maybe we should punish them with the death penalty for spreading their influence in the world? I guess you might as well change the crescent to a swastika then. (I hope the sarcasm was obvious)

IBN E ASHFAQUE | 8 years ago | Reply These guys should have been detained and punished in UAE for their behavior.

waleed ali | 8 years ago | Reply the news must be like in this way...."the dubai staff caught a gay couple" rather than showing gays inoccent in you headline.

Hamdani | 8 years ago | Reply They should have been detained and similar punishment that they award on drugs should have been carried out to them. They are trying to spread this abhorration throughout the world. We have problems of our own, they should keep this mental illness to themselves.

Ali | 8 years ago | Reply Why would a gay couple want to adopt a child and probably ruin his/her life. Remember, it was your choice to be gay, not the child's. Also, every child deserves father and mother love. You unnaturally take that away from him/her. Sad.

javed Ali | 8 years ago | Reply They have to respect the local laws.

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