Pakistani-Born Pilot Sues JetBlue

(AP)  A Pakistani-born pilot is suing JetBlue Airways Corp. for discrimination, claiming the airline rescinded a job offer and told him it was because of his background.

Faisal Baig, a U.S. citizen who was raised in Yonkers, N.Y., claims in the suit that an airline manager told him in March that he was a "security risk."

According to the suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Baig asked, "Are you saying that you are not hiring me because of my name or my religion? ... Are you saying you are not hiring me because of where I'm from?"

The manager answered, "Yes, and JetBlue considers you a security risk," according to the suit.

Baig claims he was offered the job in February and had already received a ticket to attend the airline's training school in Orlando, Fla. The 40-year-old, a Muslim, had previously flown for Independence Air for nearly six years.

"I was devastated," he said. "I've been living in this country since I was 7, and now somebody's telling me I'm not a good American."

Bryan Baldwin, a spokesman for JetBlue, declined to comment because it is a pending legal matter.

Baig, whose suit seeks an unspecified amount of money, is now living in Raleigh, N.C., where he is continuing to look for work as a pilot.

[guildsman]

It is quite a shame that we live in such sensitive times. Everything seems to be surrounded by controversy and there is no black or white, just shades of grey. Woe to he who is truly a bigot, and woe to he who uses the climate of our times to play the victim. If this man is truly a victim of unethical practices, then he should indeed be compensated. If he is exploiting his being turned down for a job for his own profit, he should not be rewarded. The problem lies in finding out what is true. I will say this, however. By way of example, if your house is robbed while you are away, and your neighbor sees a 6' white man with brown hair and blue eyes fleeing the scene, I think this is the description of person you would be looking for. I relize this may be an oversimplification of the matter, but when thousands of lives are at stake per each incident of terrorism, is it any wonder that we 'profile' the type of individuals who are typically responsible? That being said, all types of people of all races do and are capable of doing terrible things.We can see this in many countries throughout various periods of history. But right now we must try to effectively deal with our problem.While fairness is the ideal, it is not always possible.There will be some who cannot or will not make good judgements in what is a security issue.If I err on the side of protecting my family but offending someone's sensibilities, so be it.

[alphaa10-2009]

Polinerd is right, we have heard only from the applicant and not from JetBlue. Remarks which may have been made are hearsay until confirmed.

Yet...

To size up a naturalized or native-born applicant as a security risk because of his middle eastern background makes Faisal Baig a typical victim of the kind of foolish (and illegally discriminatory) security regime some want to install to protect us from hijackers and other terrorists. It also should remind us of the Nisei American experience in the early days of WWII.

But the old issue of profiling will not go away as long as an accurate profile remains a vital tool of law enforcement. An inaccurate profile, on the other hand, is a common means of illegal discrimination and oppression.

If, by profiling a threat, law enforcement means "I think he looks like a terrorist" or "He listens to the wrong radio station" or "I don't like the sermons at his mosque," that is only a caricature of what a profile should be. An effective profile should detect reliably and exactly what it purports to look for-- not men with middle eastern background, but men (or women) who are, in fact, a security threat.

[polinerd]

I think that you are all jumping to extreme conclusions! jetBlue has not yet said anything in their defense. All airline employees must pass extensive background checks, and to me it sounds like he did not pass and was not hired and now he is crying racism. We do not know the facts, and i think it is unfair to pass judgement either way before the facts are presented.

[jmart69x]

The comment posted by noomgod is an ignorant statement. I suppose that if the individual was Irish, noomgod would suggest that Jetblue should have the FBI check out the individual's church to see if the church is laundering money for the IRA? Noomgod sounds like a moron!

[jmart69x]

It is a shame that an American citizen should have to endure such predjudice. As an American I am outraged by such bigotry. I hope this individual finds justice and Jetblue pays the price!

[laneff]

To continue, denial of employment based on race, religion or fear is equal, in my opinion, to denial of first amendment rights. Every human being in this country, especially those born in the US, has the right to defend their opportunities and their rights in regard to securing employment, this is discriminatory in highest form.

[laneff]

This is very haunting. It is quite the deja vu experience for the simple fact that Japanese, Chinese and Jewish suffered the same treatment in eras past. Others, including the Irish would have received similar treatment. Denial based on heritage alone is hardly acceptable in a nation that is supposedly built on the Bill of Rights where it states in no uncertain terms, in the very first amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.