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Airline Gave Woman New Seat, Because Monks Cannot Sit Next To Women

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A California woman was given a new boarding pass when arriving last Monday at John Wayne airport for her United Airlines flight to Houston, because two men did not want to sit next to a woman.

Mary Campos, of Coto de Caza, Calif., is a frequent flier. She thought she saw it all until she was given a new boarding pass from a United gate agent just as she was about to board her flight.

Campos told CBS 2 LA that she was a victim of discrimination.

The agent handing Campos her new boarding pass, said this is your new seat, and "I don't know how to tell you this...the two gentlemen seated next to you have cultural beliefs that prevent them for sitting next to, or talking to or communicating with females."

Campos was told the men were Pakistani monks. Even the female flight crew were not allowed to serve the men.

Campos had no choice, but to sit in her newly assigned seat.

She wrote a letter to the CEO of United Airlines, who responded stating they would look into it, but Campos never heard from them again.

CBS 2 Los Angeles reached out to United Airlines and received this response: "We regret that Ms. Campos was unhappy with the handling of the seat assignments on her flight. United holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and has zero tolerance for discrimination."

Although Campos does not plan on suing the airline she does want two things in return. First, she wants United to apologize to every female on the plane, including the staff. Second, she wants United to change their policy.

"We can't discriminate against half the population," Campos said, "for a belief from another nation."

Campos said if she did not receive those two things she would do whatever it took to protect women's rights.

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