A San Diego couple has claimed a United
Airlines agent used a gay slur against them, CBS Denver affiliate
7NEWS
reported.
Billy Canu and his partner say the
incident occurred at Denver International Airport on Saturday.
In a Facebook
post, Canu says they were treated rudely when they asked about
the United lounge and when they complained the manager called them
“faggots.”
“We were initially ignored as all
five were chatting to each other,” Canu said of approaching
United's customer service desk.
The staff argued openly about who would
help the couple.
One employee “told us that Gold
access was for international only as 'those tickets cost more' in a
very condescending tone,” Canu wrote.
When the men complained that they had
been treated rudely, the manager, Rodney Hill, appeared and demanded
that they leave or he would remove them from the airport.
As they walked away, Hill shouted
“idiots.”
“Angered at this my partner attempted
to walk back to challenge him, my partner shouted 'What was that”
and Hill replied, 'What faggots?' before walking to the customer
service desk.”
In a statement offered to Denver's
7NEWS, United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said the airline “does not
tolerate discrimination of any kind.”
“We have received this complaint and
are reviewing, and we will reach out to the customer directly,” she
said.