CINCINNATI (AP) — Delta Air Lines says it’s investigating an Ohio Muslim couple’s claim that they were removed from a return flight from Europe after an airline employee singled them out because of their appearance.
A statement from Delta also says the company will issue a full refund of the couple’s airfare for the July 26 flight from Paris to Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations Cincinnati chapter alleged Thursday that Delta removed the suburban Cincinnati couple from the flight because an airline employee wasn’t comfortable having them on the plane, saying they drew attention in part because Faisal Ali was sweating and the word “Allah,” which is Arabic for “God,” was overheard. His wide Nazia was wearing a headscarf.
Faisal and Nazia Ali are U.S. citizens originally from Pakistan. They were returning home after visiting London and Paris to celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary.
The couple flew home the following day.
CAIR says there has been numerous accounts of similar incidents. The Independent UK reported that two women — one, and employee of Voice of America, the other, a federal government employee — were taken off an American Airlines flight because they had made a male flight attendant uncomfortable. According to the story, American Airlines said the women were videotaping the flight attendant, which was against policy, and they had been asked to stop. Video here:
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