ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Bartenders, waitresses, cellarmen, managers, licensees, glassies and other assorted hospitality staff who’ve served during a Melbourne Cup will be saluted by Virgin Australia from next year under a controversial plan to raise awareness of the many sacrifices made by our nation’s hospitality staff during the nation’s biggest race day.
The airline has pledged to let Cup veterans board ahead of regular passengers and acknowledge them for their service during in-flight announcements.
Virgin Australia chief executive officer John Borghetti told The Advocate that: “We acknowledge the important contribution hospitality workers have made to keeping our tongues wet and bets placed during Melbourne Cup”
However, the plan has been met with criticism from the head of the Australian Hoteliers Association, who says veterans of Melbourne Cup days never asked for this and it feels ‘tokenistic’ and ‘American’.
Stacey Gollen, who’s been at the helm of the AHA for a number of years, said that while they appreciate Virgin’s sentiments, the fact remains that the veterans don’t want this.
“Most veterans who’ve bravely served the public during a Melbourne Cup day don’t want to be singled out when they’re just trying to keep to themselves on an airplane,” she said.
“And that’s the God’s honest truth. Melbourne Cup Day veterans need support in other ways, not this tokenistic bureaucrat auto-fellating garbage. What about helping veterans overcome the trauma that comes with serving your country on the frontline in the face of great peril?”
“No. You’ve got politicians and red-faced fat fuck CEOs patting themselves on the back. What about giving half a billion dollars to Veterans Affairs?”
More to come.
