US News
Airline apologizes to 9 Muslim passengers ordered off plane
Jan 3, 2009, 13:31 GMT
Washington - A US airline on Friday apologized to nine Muslim passengers it ordered off a flight a day earlier, but defended its actions as necessary to ensure safety.
Airline officials ordered nine traditionally-dressed Muslims, including three children, off an AirTran flight that was to have left Reagan National Airport in Washington Thursday afternoon, the Washington Post reported.
Two passengers apparently complained to flight staff after overhearing a suspicious remark among the Muslim travellers, the newspaper reported Friday.
Later Friday, AirTran said it regretted the incident and apologized to all the flight's passengers, including the Muslims kicked off the flight, but said 'while ultimately this issue proved to be a misunderstanding, the steps taken were necessary.'
'We apologize to all of the passengers - to the nine who had to undergo extensive interviews from the authorities and to the 95 who ultimately made the flight. Nobody on Flight 175 reached their destination on time on New Year's Day, and we regret it,' the airline said in a statement.
Airtran said it had refunded airfare to those excluded from the flight, would reimburse them for the costs of booking a flight on another airline and had offered to pay for their return flight.
All but one of the group were US-born citizens, and they were headed to Orlando, Florida, for a religious retreat. The group included an anaesthesiologist and a lawyer. The children were aged seven, four and two.
Airport officials later cleared the group to travel and FBI agents saw the incident as a misunderstanding, an airport official told the Post. An AirTran spokesman agreed, but added that its pilot had acted properly.
Kashif Irfan, one of the Muslim passengers, told the Post that the problem unfolded after his brother, Atif, and the brother's wife discussed the safest place to sit on an airplane. The brother apparently looked out the window and saw the jet engines next to his window.
Fellow passengers apparently felt threatened and complained to the pilot, and two federal air marshals on board then reported the matter to airport police.
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Older Talkback
page: 1
Not Lnace's uselss prose, but the idea they yarded off all nine of these folks on a whim.
I'm no lover of TSA but you have to say, they sure are not fronting!
Now, Lance, where's that insightful prose on how Bush broke the Bank of England?
Typical islamic tactics.
1. Cause ruckus on airlines and talk irresponsibly about security measures.
2. Talk irresponsibly bombings, and muslim persecutions, passenger safety.
3. Wonder WHY they are being removed.
4. Expect apology from airlines for doing their jobs with a group of loud-mouthed mohammedians.
5. Talk about suing the company.
It is always the same routine if you follow these stories.
THROW MUSLIMS OUT NOW FROM ALL WESTERN NATIONS!
What do you define as Western nations ? Do you include Russia ? Africa ? the Far East? Europe (much of which was Muslim before the militant Christians waged war
You sound like a Yank thinking his litle portion (5%)of the World's population is an elite - very religious fanatic thinking of the sort that led to Bush's invasion of Iraq and the consequent incentive for far more militant terrorist behaviour all around the World. Bush and America has a lot to answer for in destroying the harmony of the World
I think the airline's apology was strictly for the PR, and not really necessary. The good side is that it turned out to be just a misunderstanding.
But the underlying problem that caused the misunderstanding is the multiculturalism that's presently being tolerated in the U.S. Traveling on airplanes within in the United States dressed in full muslim attire is not the normal status quo. And personally, I don't think it's particularly wise in the wake of all that has happened in the past 7 or 8 years. The problem is these folks are trying to live like South Asians while residing in America. If they want to practice South Asian culture live like South Asians then they should move to a South Asian country. If they want to live in America they should adopt American culture and live like Americans.
I don't blame the family themselves. I don't even know the family. As I understand it they were, all but one, born in the U.S. But somewhere along the line, whether themselves, their parents, their grandparentsc they failed to adapt to the typical American society. And here it came back to bite them.
It's not up the majority to sacrifice and cut themselves short to cater to the minorities and special interest groups. It the minorities and special interest groups that need to adapt to the mainstream society.
What is the difference between a Muslim wearing national dress in America and the (ludicrous) sight of an American travelling around Europe wearing a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots ?
Us Yanks have been saving your ass ass from invasion since the end end of the wooden ship era, christianity aside.
America may not always do the right thing but at least we act.
You piss ants let Hitler take over much of Europe without a fight and we had to invade to save your ass. perhaps America feels that we have to act because the UN, NATO, and certainly Europe, will not. You are spineless and the Muslim world knows it. That's why they run all over your piss ant country.
We're just screwed if we do and screwed if we don't.
There is no frigg'n explosive vest strapped to the hat.
@ Shut up Bill
One can always recognise a mentally and educationally challenged blogger from his need to use invective, insults and references to 'great deeds in the past'. Your ignorance of the 95% of the modern World outside america shows in every word you use, as you crouch in paranoia and fear behind your barricades
And judging from their ignorance about everything, very little else under the hat
There is no reason why people can't wear their usual dress. They weren't 'dressing' in certain clothes to flaunt their religion or country - that is their normal dress. It would seem that a little more thought should have been given to this situation than just what some paranoid passenger misinterpreted what she overheard. I guess we can hope we don't meet our friend 'Jack' and give him a greeting anywhere near an airplane or airport!!
When Americans or Aussies start shooting and ramming planes into highrises screaming IN THE NAME OF GOD maybe we will throw them off planes too.
As I remember many of these types of guys came from America and landed on Normandy, Sicily, and Italy and I did not hear any Euro cissies complaining at that time.
I cant believe the immense STUPIDITY of you traitors always jumping and defending the muslims in every indefensible situation.
Another thing, Russia WAS NEVER a muslim nation and I dare you to tell a Russian man just that statement you skirt.
I do remember for a fact, Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, WERE CHRISTIAN UNDER ROMAN AND THAN BYZANTINE CONTROL FOR CENTURIES UNTIL INVADED BY ISLAMIC JIHADISTS HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO.
Study history and just stop senselessly spoutin lies and nonfacts.
Moron
Hungarian Crusader
Hungarian Crusager - look up the details of the Crusades. Christians behaving nicely ? I think not
The huge flaw in Hungarian Invader's logic is his assumption that it is necessary to have any religion at all. To claim a country was Christian (before Muslim or whatever) overlooks the fact that these countries were firstly Pagan.
It is only the introduction of the mythical concept of a religious entity that has caused all the subsequent conflict and 'my god is better than your god' mind set
You dont know anything of the Crusades!
They were initiated because Christians for centuries were being killed, kidnapped-ransomed, enslaved, and raped on their way to Jerusalem to worship by muslim raiding parties....not Southern Baptists or Lutherans.
These atrocities were occuring for centuries and the complaints were ranging far and wide among thousands of Christian pilgrims who were wondering what was the point of the Catholic Church if they could not protoect their flock?
Finally, the Europeans put their differences aside and went to Israel and after bloody fighting took Jerusalem and coastal areas that would secure the area for worshippers coming from Europe.
If you had the insight of a gnat you could look up these facts yourself and see Christians took this abuse for centuries before finally getting it together and deciding to something about the horrendous atrocities.
Also, Christians were not trying to convert muslims as the point of the Crusades were to secure the area for safe passage with no more worry of being butchered or sold off into slavery.
Check any historical map and you will see your despised Crusaders stayed in the area of Jerusalem proper with some access to the sea for supply convoys and troop reinforcements as needed.
They never had plans of conquering Persia or Saudi Arabia or any muslim nation but desired to secure the land of Christ.
'The land of Christ'? -
The core of Christianitythe worship of a miracle working, walking, talking godman who brings salvationwas also the core of other ancient religions that began at least a thousand years before Jesus.
Heaven, hell, prophecy, daemon possession, sacrifice, initiation by baptism, communion with God through a holy meal, the Holy Spirit, monotheism, immortality of the soul, and many other 'Christian' ideas all belonged to earlier, older PAGAN FAITHS. They were simply part of ancient Mediterranean culture. Along with miracle working sons of God, born of a mortal woman, they were common elements of pre-Christian Pagan religion. Mithras had 'em. So did Dionysus, Attis, Osiris, and Orpheus. And more.
JohnJan 4th, 2009 - 13:07:36
'What is the difference between a Muslim wearing national dress in America and the (ludicrous) sight of an American travelling around Europe wearing a ten gallon hat and cowboy boots ?'
Is it that the guy in the ten gallon hat does not force his wife to dress that way?
Why would it not be the land of Christ as He was born there and was a Jew?
Accept it or not Jesus was responsible for conducting miracles ranging far and wide among thousands of believers and non-believers.
Your moronic examples never did a blasted item to help people and you will realize that fact when it is too late.
The difference between me and you is just having faith.
I believe and you do not.
Hungarian Crusader
@ Hungarian Crusader
'Why would it not be the land of Christ as He was born there and was a Jew?
Because millions of other people were born there before him. Your statement is as relevent as saying Scotland is the land of Sean Connery because he was born there
Yous other claims just rely on hearsay, ancient folk tales scribbled down decades later (and translated many times).
You're like the Creationists - unable to accept that mankind is simply the result of a series of chance events and accidents in a very minor section of the Universe
the guy in the ten gallon hat does not force his wife to dress that way -
More likely in an acknowledged matriarchal society like the USA, she told him what to wear !
But getting back to the rabid redneck near the beginning of this thread who wanted to throw all Muslims out of western countries for not conforming to western dress -
Why don't American's put on Arab dress when in Arab countries? Or appropriate local dress when in Africa, India, China, Japan Indonesia etc etc.
If this paranoid idiot really believes such a policy makes sense to anyone other than a new Hitler, perhaps he should consider his right to be in America - unless he is a native American, he should be thrown out for not wearing a feathered headress and sending smoke signals
What is this OLD shit still on here for ?
IT IS NOW THE 8TH JAN. !
What else can be said?
Your idiocy of evolution is the same sense as putting a disassembled watch in a box, shaking it for 30 seconds, opening the box, and finding the watch perfectly assembled and ticking.
This is your philosophy and system of beliefs.
Now you say we individuals who believe in creationism are idiots?
I think not.
It takes more faith to believe in senseless evolution than creationism.
Yes, Jesus was Jewish and that land was traditionally Jewish and it was not inhabited by MILLIONS as it was in much smaller numbers.
Go back to the start of time arguing and you will still be wrong.
Hungarian Crusader
You are wrong on 2 critical areas, big surprise.
First, India, China, and other nations you quote ARE NOT trying to impose islam on us or ANY type of beliefs systems on the west.
It is islam trying to submit the whole planet you brown tooth, ale drinking, Vauxhall driving twit.
Second, Americans DONT GO TO Saudi Arabia or Kuwait and try to force them to wear Levi jeans or leather boots. We hardly go there and when we do it is to do work they are too dumb to perform!
Impressive for infidels is it not?
Muslims need to be thrown out because they are imposing their ideals here in the USA slowly by forcing menu changes in our school districts as is the case now in my area.
They have already lobbied to remove sausage pizza and jello as it offends them while caring not for what we Americans desire.
What do you say of this situation you wanker?
Your pathetic debate has just been disected to quivering pieces.
Dope.
Hungarian Crusader
I had a wife who was an army reservist in medical services in the first Gulf War and she had to wear isalmic gear when ever leaving the US military base. This was her thanks for protecting those mohammedians from Hussein. She had to wear their clothes as she was just a woman and always had to be around US men as she was not allowed to be alone per Saudi customs.
She had to adjust to their norms so Dan you are grievously wrong on muslims.
The other comparisons are just absurd and pointless since the nations mentioned are basically the same type of dress as here in the USA.
Islam is a potent and viral threat to democracy and thoroughly incompatable with our values.
I have heard stories of muslims lobbying for footbaths in colleges and amending menus as to not offend them with no thought for American tastes and traditions.
Amerians dont go to the middle east and say eat pork chops, ribs, and drink alchol.
If you are caught with a Bible or alcohol it is confiscated and you could be fined a hefty fee.
We here in the real world dont confiscate their korans or shove booze down their throats.
We need to start pushing back when they agitate for us to change to their ideals.
Do you see the hypocrisy and misconceptions in your arguements now?
We seek to be free and muslims seek to impose.
All in all, even the tolerant and free can only take so much before rising to rage and removing these cultists from our lands.
Fire and water can not coexist together.
Mentalities do not mesh well from the 7th century mixing with the 21st century.
You need to study facts of today and your history before making statements that have no validity or basis in reality.
I hereby invite all those that refuse to accept other cultural attributes to live up to their logic and invite them for a visit in let's say Irian Jaya;I'm sure the penis gourd will suit them nicely.Why not,it looked good on me too.I kind of puts things in perspective so to say.You're all allowed to keep the stetson on your heads ;we don't want you to be too embarassed .
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lanceJan 3rd, 2009 - 13:58:25
The muslims are coming!!!
The muslims are coming!!!
The muslims are coming!!!
Redneck housewife hysteria whipped into a frenzy up by President Bush and his cronies.
Better watch out, those muslims eat little christian children.
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