Delta Air Lines criticized for showing ‘Carol’ without lesbian kisses

Delta Air Lines is facing criticism after savvy travelers noted that its showing passengers a version of the film Carol with all the same-sex kissing edited out. According to passengers, heterosexual kissing remains in the film.

Out comic Cameron Esposito was among the first to call out the edits, AfterEllen reports, and highlighted the double standard.

Airline officials say that they don’t select the specific edits, but rather choose between edited and unedited versions of the films it shows on flights. Delta Airlines’ Corporate Communications representative Liz Savadelis told AfterEllen:

The edited version removes two explicit scenes that do not meet our guidelines. The edited version also removes all kissing. The other version is fully non-edited and includes the kissing, but it also includes the explicit scenes. Unfortunately, Delta doesn’t have the rights to edit the movie, or to make the decision to keep some of that content (e.g. kissing). Because of the explicit scenes included in the non-edited version, we chose the edited version. This is consistent with what is available to all airlines.

The studio responsible for creating the standard edited version of the film, The Weinstein Company, has not responded to multiple outlets’ request for comment on why the kissing scenes were removed in the edited version.

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Still, not all airlines make the same choices. According to Carol screenwriter Phyllis Nagy, both American and United went with the full theatrical release, which includes a short sex scene.

Wondering what Delta passengers are missing? Watch one of the scenes below.