Flight attendants at American Airlines have been advised to use extreme caution when using dating apps after two recent violent attacks targeting crew members in Jamaica.
Flight Attendants At American Airlines Urged To Exercise Caution With Dating Apps
While the memo specifically mentions recent violence in Jamaica, it urges flight attendants to use caution when using a hook-up or dating app wherever they are in the world, even in the “least suspecting” parts of the USA:
Crime and violence are possible everywhere we travel, even in the least suspecting areas of the United States. That is why we ask more than ever to exercise caution on all layovers.
Recently, two of our APFA colleagues were victims of violent crimes while on layover in Jamaica, and this is following an uptick in activity targeted against foreign visitors to the country.
The U.S. Embassy in Jamaica has been informed of several crimes against United States citizens targeted through dating apps. These apps are being used to lure foreign visitors into meeting in public spaces such as hotels, restaurants, and bars, and then later assaulting, threatening, and/or robbing the victims. Local officials often do not make arrests or prosecute assailants in these cases.
Please never reveal the name and location of our layover hotels on social media or on dating apps. Inviting strangers into your private and safe space within your hotel rooms may open the door for you to be placed in an unsafe and possibly life-threatening situation.
Flight crew and American tourists are often targets for crime abroad, but even in the United States, layover security should never be taken lightly.
Please utilize caution when leaving your hotel rooms, lock your belongings in the hotel provided safe, and always ensure that someone on your crew has your contact information should you choose to venture out on your layover.
Please use extreme caution when venturing out alone, and consider letting a member of your crew know your plans.
The brother of a dear friend of mine was murdered in Jamaica. That country continues to reel from violent crime. But violence is not limited to Jamaica and bringing strangers into your hotel room (“safe space” as AA calls it) is a bad idea wherever you are in the world, whether a flight attendant or not.
CONCLUSION
Flight attendants at American Airlines have been warned to exercise extreme caution when using dating apps. That’s good advice for everyone, perhaps particularly in Jamaica right now, but anywhere you find yourself in the world.
(image: Ivan Radic / Flickr // H/T: PYOK)
This is an outrage!
The LGBT should be able to have sex with anyone, anywhere at anytime of any age. Anything less is fascism.
Wow, that is quite a bitter diatribe in so few words…
Interesting choice of headline image.
What is there not to like?
That app is used by predator catchers extensively to find child predators to expose and get them arrested. Interesting that it’s very easy on that app for some reason. hmmmmm
Dont worry most predators are conservative/religious not lgbt.
That’s because homophobes in Jamaica often use that app to target LGBT people for violence.
I may be too old for this but cannot understand someone needing an app to find a date. What happened to the old go out and talk to people.
But then people can immediately see how much of a creep you are
@Dick Bupkiss: You seem like the type of guy that will travel to Nigeria to meet a “princess” that you met online.
For LGBT, we are a very small percentage of society, so it’s not really easy for us to go out and meet people like that. Yes, there are gay bars, and plenty of them, but who wants to reek like cigarette smoke and deal with drunk fools acting like kids..not me. That being said, the apps are no better, and are probably worse. Many FA’s use the apps though. I’ve met a number of FA’s from Tinder. A gay AA flight attendant told me that he wanted to marry me, as long as our first encounter was “anonymous” at his layover hotel. Glad I was smart enough to pass on that one. I eventually deleted Tinder and Grindr tho, as that is really what 99% of people use them for–sex. Most people, as you know, do not have willpower and discipline.
A lot of workplaces discourage romantic relationships. A lot of people years ago got married and stayed married young and knew each other from high school or college at the latest. It is different now. I’m myself reject that people shouldn’t try to find a partner or spouse at work. We spend half of our awake hours at work most days. Corporate policy is corporate policy. Workers should ignore it. Life is short. Love is more important.
Apps can help people meet others who share the same beliefs, interests, and views.
“Date” means sex and since it’s lgbt they have to find someone to stick it in asap doesn’t matter where they are or how dangerous it is outside the hotel property it seems.
This should not just apply to lgbt tourists but all tourists. Flight attendants staying in hotels are tourists from the time they take off their uniform. They face the same risks as any of us. If meeting someone from an app, do so in a resort hotel lobby or hotel restaurant. Safety in numbers. Political correctness does not allow us to call out one group committing the majority of the violence. It’s not just Jamaica but the Bahamas have a lot of problems to the point that tourists have been attacked at the beach during broad daylight. Women have been brutally attacked. A lot of naive tourists believe all the propaganda that everyone is equal and crime statistics are lies.
Well in Jamaica, its particularly a problem for LGBT people.
Jamaica is one of the most homophobic places I have ever been. I went once many years ago and will never return.
What’s the story with the friends brother?
LGBT is not accepted in Jamaica. For your own safety, if you’re LGBT simply don’t go there to engage in any dating. Do not assume the freedoms of your home country apply to others. Do not attempt to change their views through activism. While starting a gay pride rally is a good thing in some countries, in other countries it could get you killed or raped.
Violence in Jamaica?? Not having that….
Jamaica has played host to prominent gay male homicide for decades. This is only news to a younger generation with the unfortunate obligation to fly to and stay in this third world cesspool of Caribbean humanity.
Stay away from Jamaica, Mon!
I’m sure matthew does very well on grindr 😉