At the backdrop of poor UK policies on immigrants and deportation, the Virgin Airlines have refused to offer its seats for the removal of illegal immigrants. The campaign started off with the help of the LGBT community, in their defence and response to the Windrush population. It is believed that majority of the deportees are asylum-seekers who left their country due to threats to their lives. They have been wrongly victimised and criminalised by Home office, and they were sent to the country where they actually have no connection to, or where they are in danger.
The decision to end this came in the when they realised the damages caused in the Windrush scandal. It was believed that the majority of the deportees were wrongfully affected. Campaigners of the migrants’ rights have come out to commend the decision by Virgin Airways, and they hope that other airlines such as the British Airways will follow their footstep. The Windrush populations, up to the year 1973 were really affected, and a majority of them were threatened with deportation. This event was did not go well with angry protesters and other pressure groups. The most painful thing is that those affected were actually eligible to be enlisted as UK citizens, they had lived in the UK all their lives, and they have had children born in the UK.
These deportation threats also were meted out on the LGBT asylum seekers. These people had left the country of their birth for the fear of loss of their lives. The major subject of it all is that they came to the UK to start life afresh, and a majority of them had lived in the UK for many years. The campaigners for the LGBT rights have come out to voice their concerns to Home office. This has also made Virgin Airlines withdraw their involvement in the scandals, after many years of assisting and aiding the deportation. It is known that the UK government booked chartered flights for over 2000 seats, and these deportees were always packed like sardines to the country that they know nothing about, neither do they know where to start from.
American Airlines already implemented this policy. They refused to transport the migrant children that were separated from their parents. If the American counterparts could understand the injustices and politics involved in the deportation, then all airlines in Great Britain should understand that they can stand against illegal and unjust deportation.
According to the reports on the ‘Windrush revelations’; reports show that the government spent tens of millions of GBP for the chartered deportation flights yearly. These figures have led to the event tagged as the ‘Windrush scandal’. The reason for it all is because of the loss of jobs, benefits, assets and properties of those affected. The campaigners have called for the proper investigation of the people that are perceived to be illegal immigrants. This is to reduce and stop the unjust acts by the Home office. The UK has been tagged as a very hostile environment for migrants, which has not been well for the country with such a prestigious reputation.