Muslim family, US born citizens, removed from plane for discussing safest place to sit.

[madfloridian]

They were not allowed back on the plane after the issue was resolved, and they were not allowed to rebook their flight.

Muslim family booted off U.S. airline after comments

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Muslim family that was ordered off an AirTran Airways flight on New Year's Day said on Friday that they were told they could not reboard or rebook a flight on the discount airline even after security officials cleared them for travel.

Atif Irfan said in an interview with CNN that federal authorities removed him, seven family members and a friend from the flight after passengers overheard members of the group talking about the safest place to sit on the plane. He said they were being careful to avoid any "buzz" words like "bomb" that would trigger a security alert. The group was headed for a religious retreat in Florida when other passengers apparently overheard the conversation and reported it to authorities.

Irfan told The Washington Post he thought the group, all but one of them U.S.-born citizens, were profiled because of their appearance. He said five of the six adults in the group are of South Asian descent, and all six are traditionally Muslim in appearance, with the men wearing beards and the women in headscarves.

Irfan, 34, an anesthesiologist living in Alexandria, Virginia, said U.S. law enforcement officials treated the group with kindness but the family is upset that the airline did not allow the group to reboard the plane or rebook a flight after they had been cleared of any wrongdoing.

According to the article they booked a flight on US Airways after that.

[hlthe2b]

1. Another depressing aspect of what the US has become... eom

Ignorance, arrogance, and paranoia--the legacy of the Bush* years.

[madfloridian]

4. A "legacy" that will probably stay.

Sadly.

[Mari333]

2. the 'other passengers'

[chrisa]

16. The ugly American...

I feel sorry that we unleash these people on the world.

[Pab Sungenis]

3. One more reason not to fly.

I've always hated air travel, but the TSA bullshit and attitudes of airline people since 9/11 have made me hate it even more. If I can help it, I don't fly any more.

[ogneopasno]

5. This is bullshit. Complete, utter, embarrassing bullshit.

[KamaAina]

6. Flying While Brown

Jebus H. Flying Spaghetti Monster. :grr:

[LisaM]

7. I'm torn on this story

When I fly, I dress in clothing without pockets, wear shoes that slip off easily, and make sure that I don't have any liquids over 3 oz. and that I'm carrying nothing sharp.

I know - intellectually - that most people who wear headscarves or even burkas are probably not dangerous. But on an emotional level, I worry they could have something tucked away in their scarves or garments. Then I start philosophizing about what kind of religion would require women to dress like this, and my ability to reason goes haywire.

Since I modify how I dress to go to airports and fly, why shouldn't I hold others to the same standard?

I expect a lot of people to jump down my throat for this, but I admit that I do worry about people covered up in lots of clothing. On the bright side, I also suspect canes and strollers!

[ogneopasno]

9. Because the standard you're holding people to is, as you admit, an emotional one.

And this is also ostensibly about what they said -- not what they were wearing.

[LisaM]

10. But it wasn't about what they were saying, really was it?

I read the story carefully to make sure. I remember flying in Europe in the late 1980s. I was flying Detroit to Frankfurt - the same route that the Lockerbie plane flew - and they grilled me at the airport. I didn't care. I also noticed that they pulled some women wearing burkas out of the line, and even though I'm sure they were perfectly fine women, I didn't care about that either. I would hope they'd also do the same for nuns and monks wearing traditional garb.

As I said, my response is purely emotional, but if I have to take off my shoes, wear minimal clothing, and be willing to put almost everything I have through the scanner, shouldn't people who wear headscarves have to take them off? You have to take off hats, don't you?

[goodhue]

11. This story is not about problems clearing security

In any event, the TSA has specific screening procedures for head scarves . . .

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1037.shtm

Head Coverings
On August 4, 2007, TSA implemented revisions to its screening procedures for head coverings. TSA does not conduct ethnic or religious profiling, and employs multiple checks and balances to ensure profiling does not happen.

All members of the traveling public are permitted to wear head coverings (whether religious or not) through the security checkpoints. The new standard procedures subject all persons wearing head coverings to the possibility of additional security screening, which may include a pat-down search of the head covering. Individuals may be referred for additional screening if the security officer cannot reasonably determine that the head area is free of a detectable threat item. If the issue cannot be resolved through a pat-down search, the individual will be offered the opportunity to remove the head covering in a private screening area.

TSA's security procedures, including the procedures for screening head coverings, are designed to ensure the security of the traveling public. These procedures are part of TSA's multi-layered approach to security screening.

[LisaM]

12. Do they enforce this? Because I'm sure I've seen people

asked to remove hats.

I don't think they should have spied on the family and kept them off the plane, but I still think that religion shouldn't exempt you from removing extraneous clothing for security purposes.

[goodhue]

14. This story has nothing at all to do with clearing security.

And everything to do with prejudice against brown-skinned people with beards and head scarves.

[yardwork]

22. You obviously don't know the facts about this story.

[john444]

20. good ideal

Lets all travel naked..........cool

[yardwork]

21. People wear headscarves for religious reasons, and have you ever seen someone in a burka?

TSA scans everyone before they get on a plane so that you don't have to worry about people "hiding things in their garments."

I recommend that you seek therapy for your fears.

[MineralMan]

8. Predictably, some folks over at the freeker site

are calling for no Muslims on any planes. Of course none of them can afford a plane ticket, anyhow, so it's a moot point.

All the flights I have been on, in and out of MSP, have had obvious Muslims on them. We have millions of Muslims in this country. So far, since 9/11, none of them have done anything to a plane.

[yardwork]

23. I'm not sure that any Muslim person did anything to a plane on 9/11, either.

[madfloridian]

13. This family is speaking out more. Says they were treated like 2nd class citizens.

" The families of Atif Irfan, a tax attorney, and his brother Kashif Irfan, an anesthesiologist, were removed from a flight before takeoff Thursday after a passenger reported hearing Atif Irfan's wife say something the passenger thought was suspicious. The airline declined to say what comment was overheard. But Atif Irfan say the couple was discussing the safest place to sit on a plane and speculates that someone misconstrued their intent."

..." "Really, at the end of the day, we're not out here looking for money. I'm an attorney. I know how the court system works. We're basically looking for someone to say ... 'We're apologizing for treating you as second-class citizens.' " he said.

"We are proud Americans," Sahin said. "You know we decided to have our children and raise them here. We can very easily go anywhere we want in the world, but you know we love it here and we're not going to go away, no matter what."

But Aziz, the Library of Congress attorney who also was removed from the plane, said there is a "very strong possibility" he will pursue a civil rights lawsuit.

"I guess it's just a situation of guilt by association," Aziz said. "They see one Muslim talking to another Muslim, and they automatically assume something wrong is going on."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/02/family.grounded/

[chrisa]

15. The US still = a very racist country... n/t

[virgogal]

17. It's a hell of a lot better than it used to be.

[Brewman_Jax]

27. Just because the signs have been taken down

doesn't mean the hearts are open.

[JCMach1]

18. Brother was a Lawyer... I feel a lawsuit coming on!

[Liberal_in_LA]

24. Yep, don't blame them though.

[JCMach1]

26. Not a bit... the company was completely whacked in this case...

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

19. this topped the news in Holland

according to my dutch friend. Great publicity :sarcasm:

[Fire1]

25. Typical U.S. Profiling.