Dear British Airways, Our band, Big Joanie, are descendants of Caribbean and African migrants, our community has been scarred by the stories of people in our community forcibly removed and deported for nothing more than an error by the Home Office. In your 100th anniversary advert one of the many reasons you declare your “love” for Britain is that it has a ”big heart”, but one has to wonder who that extends to when British Airways allows the UK government to use commercial flights to forcibly deport migrants. How “big” can your heart be when it allows people to suffer the dehumanising and traumatising experience of forced deportation? What does it say about your “British values” when you allow others to be violently taken from their homes, shackled to your passenger seats and then dumped in a place where, in the case of LGBTQ+ migrants, their lives may be in danger. When others such as Virgin, American, South West, Frontier and United Airlines now refuse to participate in this cruel practice, to profit from this kind of trauma is not only immoral, but also in direct opposition to everything that you say you stand for. You are not an ally to our community as long as you enable forced deportations. We ask that you cease this immediately and join others in refusing to participate in a merciless and heartless practice. Big Joanie ***************************** Glad to add our voice to the many calling on @british_airways to stop deportations. While they celebrate their 100th anniversary, they ignore their hand in this cruel and devastating practice. Please support the ‘Dear BA’ campaign organised by @lgsmigrants - visit their site to learn more, read and share the many letters, and consider submitting your own. #dearBA #stopdeportations #BA100 #lesbiansandgayssupportthemigrants https://www.instagram.com/p/B1TThQRHBCN/?igshid=112h8a78zog9v
