Nazia Ali and her husband Faisal had just boarded their Delta Airlines flight home from their anniversary vacation in Paris when they were asked to leave the plane, were treated like criminals and detained for questioning.
One of the Delta Airlines International crew members reportedly complained to the pilot that she did not feel comfortable with the customers in row two because Nazia was wearing a headscarf and was on her cell phone while her husband was reportedly sweating.
I am not sure if these flight attendants have flown as customers recently on one of these flights, but when you are sitting at the gate on one of these flights, it tends to get a bit warm.
The pilot neglected to look at the situation himself and called down to security, refusing to push off from the gate until the couple was completely removed. Security complied, entering the plane and asking the couple to go with them. Nazia Ali reported the situation stating:
“We had been in our seats for 45 minutes. The ground agent said, `Can you step out with me? We’d like to ask you a few questions.’ So I said, `Do you want us to get our things?’ And he said, `Yes, please grab all of your personal belongings. You’re not going to be on this flight.’ “
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, is filing a religious profiling complaint against both Delta Airlines and The Department of Transportation. During a press conference about the incident CAIR-Cincinnati attorney Sana Hassan made a public calling to the U.S. Department of Transportation saying:
“We call on the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a thorough examination of the prevailing practices of major American air carriers, including Delta Air Lines, and to develop policy guidelines on the objective factors that are to be considered when determining that a passenger may legally be removed from a flight.”
After being called out by CAIR-Cincinnati, Delta Airlines released the following statement:
“Delta condemns discrimination toward our customers in regards to age, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation or gender. As a global airline that brings hundreds of thousands of people together every day, Delta is deeply committed to treating all of our customers with respect. Delta continues its investigation into this matter and will issue a full refund of these customers’ airfare.”
Not that this fact needs explaining, but Mr. and Mrs. Ali have been American citizens since they were teenagers and were on their way home to their three small children after enjoying their 10-year Anniversary trip to the ‘City of Love.’ It’s a shame that even American citizens can’t travel without Islamophobia effecting a simple vacation.
Fear is taking over rational thought processes for people all over the world, especially when, in this country, we have political parties backing a candidate who emanates fear and retaliation of the Muslim community.
Take a look at this video from CAIR about discrimination based on religion.
Featured Photo Via: Liz Dufour USA Today.
