An employee for USAir, 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 USAir flight at the airport experienced mechanical problems.

The passengers of this other flight were being rerouted to various airplanes. A few were put

on Mr. Gay's flight and anyone who was holding a "free" ticket was being "bumped".


Airline 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."


Our 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 for it!" Confusion reined as more and more passengers

began yelling that USAir had no right to remove gays from their flights.