not so gay time on airplane

Sydney Morning Herald, Monday, June 15th 1999:

An employee for Ansett Australia, who happened to have the last name of
GAY, got on a plane recently using one of his company's "Free Flight" programs. However, when Mr. Gay tried to take his seat, he found it being occupied by a paying passenger. So, not to make a fuss, he simply chose another seat.

Unknown to Mr. Gay, another Ansett Australia flight at the airport experienced mechanical problems. The passengers of this other flight were being re-routed to various aeroplanes. A few were put on Mr. Gay's flight and anyone who was holding a "free" ticket was being "bumped".

Ansett officials, armed with a list of these "freebie" ticket holders boarded the plane to remove the free ticket holders. Of course, our Mr. Gay was not sitting in his assigned seat as you may remember. So when the ticket agent approached the seat where Mr Gay was supposed to be sitting, she asked a startled customer, "Are you Gay?" The man, shyly nodded that he was, at which point she demanded, "Then you have to get off the plane."

Mr Gay, overhearing what the ticket agent had said, tried to clear up the situation, "You've got the wrong man. I'm Gay!" This caused an angry third passenger to yell, "Hell, I'm gay, too! They can't kick us all off!"
Confusion reined as more an more passengers began yelling that Ansett
Australia had no right to remove gays from their flights.

"Ansett refused to comment on the incident."