Virgin Australia abandons boarding plan for veterans before takeoff

Virgin Australia abandons boarding plan for veterans before takeoff

Posted on Tuesday, November 06, 2018

SYDNEY: Virgin Australia announced on Monday its intention to allow veterans to board its flights first, while the popular outcry provoked by "tokenism" in the US seemed to annihilate the idea before & # 39; It is not launched.

Politicians, commentators and veterans lined up to denounce Virgin's actions as embarrassing or worse.

"As a veteran, I would not even dream of boarding a plane in front of other passengers," said Cate McGregor, a former senior member of the Australian Defense Force, saying the move was "false." American bastard ".

"Spend more on suicide prevention and health support," said the former East Timor veteran, who is also transgender.

Rodger Shanahan, a 25-year-old veteran, now a researcher at the respected Lowy Institute think tank, said the scheme would be studied as an example of how not to handle public relations.

He suggested that Virgin "greet veterans by offering discounted tickets to the less fortunate of society".

Even far-right politician Pauline Hanson described the move as a "marketing ploy," telling Channel Seven: "I find it very embarrassing … I've worked with many veterans and I think they would find it terribly embarrassing. "

Virgin CEO John Borghetti has held up well.

"We are very aware of the response that our announcement regarding the recognition of the people who served in the defense was received today," he said. "It was a sincere gesture to pay tribute to those who served our country."

"In the coming months, we will be consulting with community groups and our own team members who have served in the defense to determine the best way forward."

The proposal was formulated as the military was increasingly fetishized in Australian public life.

Although military service is respected and the important anniversaries of the Battle of the Coral Sea and the First World War raise awareness of the sacrifices of the past, Australians are not very appreciative.

"Rather than sanctifying military service, the media and politicians should devote more energy to recognizing those who work for the common good under often traumatic and always difficult circumstances at home," Shanahan recently wrote.

"What about the police and emergency services who have to attend car accidents or the fact that corpses are being taken from rivers?" Or paramedics who attend medical services. innumerable overdoses, suicide attempts and other traumatic events? " – AFP