Air Kiss – Gay Couple's 'Touching and Kissing' Ends in Threat of Diverting Flight

American Airlines Flight 45departing Charles de Gaulle at 10:40 A.M., arriving J.F.K. at one each afternoonis a tourists delight: timed just right to avoid late checkout, leaving time for one last Kir Royale at Les Deux Magots. On August 22nd, the coach cabin was packed with vacationing New Yorkers. Ralph Jackson (21A) and David Leisner (21B) were returning from two weeks in France, while Huffa Frobes-Cross (21F) had stopped over in Paris on his way back from South Africa. Assigned to seats 20A and 20B were George Tsikhiseli, a television journalist, and his writer boyfriend, Stephan Varnier. Weve been together only four months, Tsikhiseli said last week. So it felt like a honeymoon.

Shortly after takeoff, Varnier nodded off, leaning his head on Tsikhiseli. A stewardess came over to their row. The purser wants you to stop that, she said.

I opened my eyes and was, like, Stop what? Varnier recalled the other day.

The touching and the kissing, the stewardess said, before walking away…