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... a royal pain in the a$$. Well it finally happened that there was a genuine one

A packed British Airways flight from Italy was held up for nearly four hours after three Qatari princesses refused to sit next to men they did not know.
Dozens of British holidaymakers had to wait patiently while the three royals, who were returning from a day's shopping excursion to the Italian fashion centre of Milan, refused to take their seats.
Furious passengers on the flight whistled and clapped before the three women were escorted off and took another flight to London.
The incident began as passengers boarded flight 563 from Milan's Linate airport to Heathrow.
The women, all members of the oil-rich emir of Qatar's family, Bader Bin Khalifa Al Thani, were booked into business class along with the emir and an entourage of cooks and other staff.
However as passengers were fastening seat belts the women got up and refused to take their assigned seats as they were next to men they did not know.
Cabin crew tried to rearrange the seats but passengers travelling together refused to give up their allotted positions.
Eventually the captain was called in to try and mediate but after more than three hours of wrangling on the tarmac in scorching temperatures, he decided the best way forward was to offload the women.
Police and diplomats from the Qatar consulate in Milan were also called in. The Qatar party eventually left Milan for London on an Alitalia flight after free places were found for them in business class but the cooks and entourage were seated in economy.
A spokesman at Linate confirmed: "There was an incident involving women of the Qatar royal family."

glad they got kicked off. Bunch of stuck up pr*cks

Actually Craig it is a cultural difference. However you'd have thought they'd be a bit more tolerant as they weren't on a private jet

Doesn't change my opinion on the matter. Why should people who've paid upwards of

[quote]Doesn't change my opinion on the matter. Why should people who've paid upwards of

I have to concur with the opinion to eject the "princesses".

While I have a great respect for many (not all) cultural differences, it is not reasonable to expect that you can inflict your own peculiar socio-cultural norms on people in public spaces.  The aircraft belongs to a public company operating in public space and caters to the public at large.  If you are uncomfortable with the idea or practice of mingling with the general public, for goodness sake get your own private effing airplane!  You're a quasi-royal, certifiable rich family.  You can afford your own bloody aircraft, therefore, you can afford to ensure your own personal socio-culture comfort.  Leave the public aircraft to us poor slobs who cannot afford our own aircraft, and bodyguards, and traveling cooks.

If we don't have the expectation of equality in the public space, I am going to declare myself king and demand a quickie, a rack of lamb, a fifth of single-malt bourbon, and a full-body massage before I even take my effing seat or I am going to sue someone for cultural insensitivity.  I'll probably just sue a gaggle of oil princesses on sheer principle.  And to think, all this time I scuttled off in quiet embarrassment to the lavatory closet if I was even feeling the least bit gassy on a flight.  To heck with that!  From now on, all passengers must genuflect as I pass by or there will be summary floggings at 30,000 feet!

Back to something that resembles reality . . .

This is not a case of cultural discrimination or harassment.  It is a case of rich, arrogant snobs getting their comeuppance.  Good for British Airways!  I feel like writing them a pleasant little commendation letter right now.