August 20 American Airlines began offering Internet service on a number of their flights. Now flight attendants with the airline are asking management to rethink this latest in-flight amenity, as they are finding that many of their passengers are surfing porn sites while seated in the up-right position.

Flight attendants have asked the airline to restrict the online service and block sites that feature material that they believe to be “inappropriate.”

David Roscow, a spokesman for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said that union leaders have voiced their concerns with management, though they did list any specific sites in which to ban.

American Airlines, the world’s largest airline in terms of total passengers-miles transported and passenger fleet size, has availed Internet access to passengers on a trial basis. The trial period is set to last for six months, and, at that time the values and drawbacks of the service will be evaluated.

The Los Angeles Times quoted a statement from Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines, on this issue. “It is nothing new for passengers to view pornographic material at their seats during flights,” said Smith. “People have been able to take adult magazines and DVDs onto flights without restrictions, and the union is not objecting to those materials. Crews have successfully managed to resolve instances of other passengers taking offence to such materials. We always hope our customers will use good judgment on what they view while on board our aircraft, and the vast majority does just that.”

However, a spokesman for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants cited the potential difficulties unrestricted Internet service could offer on-flight employees. “Unrestricted internet access for passengers could potentially put flight attendants in unusually delicate situations,” the spokesperson said. “Why should the flight attendants be put in the position to police, deal with the people offended and in a position to view objectionable material in their workplace? I don’t know what the solution is, but we should try.”

(No Ratings Yet)

 Loading ...