SWEDEN/IN AIR: First gay mid-air weddings

Record ID: 277551

  • Title: SWEDEN/IN AIR: First gay mid-air weddings
  • Date: 8th December 2010
  • Summary: STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (DECEMBER 6, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF INTERIOR OF STOCKHOLM ARLANDA AIRPORT VARIOUS OF WEDDING COUPLE EWA TOMASZEWICZ AND GOSIA RAWINSKA CHECKING IN WEDDING COUPLE ALEKSANDER MIJATOVIC AND SHANTU BHATTACHARJEE CHECKING IN (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEWARDESS TALKING TO MIJATOVIC AND BHATTACHARJEE AT CHECK IN: "I think I will have to check you in one a
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sweden
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVA5SJCPPYLYGFA863A63E0EK2OF
  • Story Text: As people started checking into SAS flight 903 bound for New York on Monday (December 6) some things were different then usual. Along with the regular passengers were two homosexual couples just about to get married in what the Scandinavian carrier SAS said was the first ever mid-air gay weddings.
    The two couples and their friends were hurried through security and into the VIP lounge before boarding the plane.
    As the couples approached the plane they were cheered on by friends and staff, one of them performing a home made rap song: "Ladies and Gents we're happy to say that something very special will happen today! For the very first time in history, a gay wedding in the air that is what we're gonna se! Cause love is in the air, love is everywhere! Let us make a statement to show that we care! For everyone is right to express their love, let's go to next level and high above."
    The in-flight wedding theme is part of SAS' effort to boost haltering results and attract the strong pink economy to its brand.
    The flight, nicknamed Love is in the Air, took off from Stockholm with destination New York. On the flight, the two homosexual couples were offered weddings in Swedish airspace. The country allows same sex marriages.
    To single out the two winners SAS arranged a contest on its website.
    Same sex couples were asked to create a profile and post either pictures or videos of themselves before answering three questions about their relationship.
    Anders Lindstrom, PR Director at SAS said there were more than 360,000 unique votes.
    Eventually the two winning couples were Aleksander Mijatovic and Shantu Bhattacharjee from Germany together with Ewa Tomaszewicz and Gosia Rawinska from Poland.
    The two couples had very different strategies in reaching their voters with the Germans asking friends all over the world to post Youtube clips urging people to choose them in different languages. The Poles on their side were very successful in spreading their mission through local media.
    Lindstrom said the carrier has slipped behind other companies at attracting the HBT (Homosexual, bisexual and transsexual) market and saw it necessary to find a way to change that.
    To perform the civil wedding ceremony was Member of the European Parliament Christofer Fjellner, a Swede who was the youngest member of the European Parliament when he entered. For the last six years he has fought hard for HBT rights in Brussels.
    The flight had been specially prepared with the wedding ceremonies taking place in the front business class cabin.
    But both couples stressed the importance of the weddings since they were not allowed to get married in their home countries.
    "Of course it sounds strange for us sitting here in the SAS business class talking about inspiring people to get married, to fight for their rights it sounds maybe a little bit funny but in the end it is what it is about. Showing people that there are other options and that it lies in their hands how their lives are going to change. They have to go out in the street and fight for it." said Mijatovic shortly before arriving to New York.
    The lesbian couple cried as they were cheered by the rest of the guests in business class.
    "This marriage is for us, but it is also for (crying)… For all those gay, lesbian and bisexual people in Poland who can't get married because they live in Poland." said Tomaszewicz.
    Both couples are long time partners and had been planning for a wedding a long time before entering the competition.
    The couples will now spend a few days in New York.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register