Airline Apologizes For Booting Muslims

9 Passengers Receive Refunds After AirTran Kicked Them Off Plane For "Suspicious Remark"

(CBS/AP)  AirTran Airways is apologizing to nine Muslim passengers kicked off a New Year's Day flight to Florida after other passengers reported hearing a suspicious remark about airplane security.

One of the passengers says the confusion started at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., when his brother was talking about the safest place to sit on an airplane.

"My brother and his wife were discussing some aspect of airport security," Kashif Irfan, one of the Muslim passengers, said. "The only thing my brother said was, 'Wow, the jets are right next to my window.'"

In a statement Friday, Orlando-based AirTran says it refunded the air fare for the nine passengers and planned to reimburse them for replacement tickets they bought on another airline.

The airline said the incident on the flight to Orlando was a misunderstanding, but the steps taken were necessary.

AirTran also apologized to 95 other passengers whose flight was delayed by the incident.

After the Muslim passengers were removed, Federal officials ordered the rest of the passengers from the plane and re-screened them before allowing the flight to depart, about two hours behind schedule.

"It Escalated … And Everyone Took Precautions"

Earlier, AirTran Airways spokesman Tad Hutcheson called the incident a misunderstanding, but defended the company's response. He said the airline followed federal rules and did nothing wrong.

Irfan told the Washington Post he thought he and the others were profiled because of their appearance. The men had beards and the women wore headscarves, traditional Muslim attire.

Irfan, 34, is an anesthesiologist and his brother is a lawyer. Both live in Alexandria, Virginia, with their families, and were born in Detroit. They were traveling with their wives, Irfan's sister-in-law and Irfan's three sons, ages 7, 4 and 2. A family friend also was traveling with the group to a religious retreat in Florida.

The Post said that five of the six adults were of South Asian descent and that all but one was born in the U.S.

The family was upset that AirTran didn't allow the Muslim passengers to book another flight. The airline said in a news release Friday that one of the passengers became irate, made inappropriate comments and had to be escorted away from a gate podium by local law enforcement.

"The FBI agents actually cleared our names," Inayet Sahin, one of the family members kicked off the flight, told CNN. "They went on our behalf and spoke to the airlines and said, 'There is no suspicious activity here. They are clear. Please let them get on a flight so they can go on their vacation,' and they still refused."

The family and friend eventually made it to their destination on a U.S. Airways flight.

Hutcheson said AirTran initially refused to rebook the family because the airline had not been notified the investigation was complete. He said the passengers were offered full refunds and are now welcome to fly on AirTran after being cleared by authorities.

"At the end of the day, people got on and made comments they shouldn't have made on the airplane, and other people heard them," Hutcheson said. "Other people heard them, misconstrued them. It just so happened these people were of Muslim faith and appearance. It escalated, it got out of hand, and everyone took precautions."

Christopher White, a federal Transportation Security Administration spokesman, said the situation was handled appropriately.

White said the pilot, after being informed of the remarks, requested that two federal air marshals on board remove the individuals. TSA then alerted authorities, including the FBI, which conducted an investigation. Once authorities determined there was no threat, it was up to the airline whether to allow the family to reboard.

"If the pilot is uncomfortable with someone flying on their plane, that's their decision," White said.

A spokesman for the FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

One of the passengers removed, Abdur Razack Aziz, said he will consider a lawsuit.

[vcofreason]

When are Muslims going to get it through their heads that their religions is NOT a religion of "peace". It''s a religion of violent and hatred towards all non-Muslims. It''s been well documented. Watch any 9/11 program for details.

Good for the airlines for picking up on this. Let them file their lawsuit. No one will sympathize with them. They made remarks that any idiot without an oppression outfit (head scarf) wouldn''t make. They probably got caught and are lucky they weren''t jumped and sat on until someone pulled them off by their hair.

[rudy6543]

When are Muslims going to get it through their heads that their religions is NOT a religion of "peace". It''''s a religion of violent and hatred towards all non-Muslims. It''''s been well documented. Watch any 9/11 program for details.
*********

Probably as soon as Christians get it into their head that their religios isn''t a religion of peace, but of war, bloodshed and hellfire.

[alanw1077]

Ohhhh, poor baby Muslims!
I hope we didn''t hurt your eensy weensie feelings!!!
Oh no!!!
So sad!

[alanw1077]

Ahhh, my buddy "rudy6543" back on here. Mr. Jihadist Apologist for Death And Terror Rudy6543.

Nice to see you again, Mr. Terror And Death.

[vcofreason]

Probably as soon as Christians get it into their head that their religios isn''''t a religion of peace, but of war, bloodshed and hellfire.

Posted by rudy6543 at 04:24 PM

Oh yeah, that''s happened in modern times *eyeroll* Is that ALL you''ve got? When was the last time that happened? ..and I''m not a Christian before you try to ASSume

[trumpetstuff]

"....a religion of violent [sic] and hatred towards all non-Muslims...."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by VcofReason at 04:16 PM : Jan 02, 2009

Sir/Madam, would you also say that Christianity is a religion of violence and hatred (Inquisitions, KKK, etc.)? If so, at least you`re consistent. If not - well, maybe you`d better think this over some more.

[darnedsocks]

THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. ISLAM TEACHES HATRED FOR PEOPLE IN THE WEST. IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM WHEN MUSLIMS ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS STUFF ON AN AIRPLANE. YOU CAN''T TAKE ANY CHANCES.

[tmittelstaed]

If the airline did nothing wrong then why did they pay for the other airplane tickets for the other airlines? Obviously the airline did something wrong and they know it. Money talks, bs walks.

[samrt-2009]

Interesting how CBS has morphed this story from an explanation that the family in question was discussing where the safest place was to sit on the aircraft into one in which the family was overheard making a "suspicious remark about airplane security."

Nice propaganda ploy, CBS. Gotcha.

[rant2]

I''m not so sure which is more fanatical,Muslims or the idiots that were brainwashed by the soon to be gone(good riddance)wh monkey.

[you_fools]

So they got booted off.. BFD.. They (the Booted) have to admit that their people brought this on to them selves..

Wh

[tlparp]

Am I the only non-Muslim person in the country who has wondered where the safest place is to sit on an airplane if it crashes? Does this make me a terrorist because I wonder? From what has been reported on other sites, this is what the family said. With the news from aviation crashes in the past 2 weeks, I would think we''d all be wondering about the safest place to sit, and none of the recent disasters involved terrorism in any way.

[rudy6543]

Interesting how CBS has morphed this story from an explanation that the family in question was discussing where the safest place was to sit on the aircraft into one in which the family was overheard making a "suspicious remark about airplane security."

Nice propaganda ploy, CBS. Gotcha.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by SamRT at 05:04 PM

I caught that as well.

[rudy6543]

Posted by you_fools at 05:14 PM

Yeah, and you have to admit that your people (KKK and Timothy McVeigh) make you look dangerous as well.

[vcofreason]

Sir/Madam, would you also say that Christianity is a religion of violence and hatred (Inquisitions, KKK, etc.)? If so, at least you`re consistent. If not - well, maybe you`d better think this over some more.

Posted by trumpetstuff at 04:33 PM
---------------------
I am glad I wasn''t taking a drink when I read your (sic) added to highlight my typo. You should go back to your first response to me, moron.

Remember this? religios (SIC) what a joke you are!

ANYWAY, when were the inquisitions you loon? Last week? I most certainly don''t associate the KKK with Christianity. You are REALLY stretching, because you have no point. Loser. I don''t need to think it over, it''s settled. You are a loser.

[rudy6543]

I most certainly don''''t associate the KKK with Christianity.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by VcofReason at 05:20 PM

They are, in fact, good little Baptists.

[debinok1]

Interesting how CBS has morphed this story from an explanation that the family in question was discussing where the safest place was to sit on the aircraft into one in which the family was overheard making a "suspicious remark about airplane security."

Nice propaganda ploy, CBS. Gotcha.

Posted by SamRT
**************
Actually it was the other passengers who made that connection not CBS. Those passnegers then reported it to the flight attendants who reported it to the pilot who contacted security. Causing the family to be removed and the flight to be delayed.

[nobdysfool]

"At the end of the day, people got on and made comments they shouldn''t have made on the airplane, and other people heard them," Hutcheson said. "Other people heard them, misconstrued them"

In other words, passengers on the plane saw these Muslim Americans & screamed "terrorists"!

[rickstas]

Just think what would happen if some Jews were removed for making any type of comment!!!

[alphaa10000]

The AirTran respoonse to the remark was completely out of context and excessive, by any definition.

While it is justifiable to be careful and prudent about suspicious passengers, such suspicion must be rational, not paranoid.

In this case, it was openly xenophobic, which is where profiling rears its head, again. We are a nation of many nationalities, and not everyone looks alike. We need to get over that, and move on with the 21st century.

If someone with a well-fitting George Bush mask had made exactly the same remarks, none would have noticed.

[endurorob]

That is not at all an ignarrant or racist comment.

[endurorob]

So they got booted off.. BFD.. They (the Booted) have to admit that their people brought this on to them selves..

Wh

Posted by you_fools

That is not at all an ignarrant or racist comment.

[endurorob]

The guy commented his seat was right next to the engines. What was innapropriate about that.

[simplemind2]

""If the pilot is uncomfortable with someone flying on their plane, that''s their decision," Christopher White, a federal Transportation Security Administration spokesman said."

R-e-a-l-l-y - pilot becomes the KING now?
Wow - next time IF I decide to fly - I''d better suck it up to the pilot - "Your Royal Highness, may I board YOUR plane please?"

[endurorob]

This seems like a slam dunk law suit. Taking them off the flight is one thing but then refusing to allow them to get on another flight after the FBI cleared them seems like real good grounds for a few million $.

[endurorob]

Looks like any paranoid fool can misconsture what anyone says and screw up everyones day.

[nwarky1]

These religeous freaks are trying to kill everybody that doesn''t believe their fairy tales. They should be persecuted ar every turn.

[brianp55]

My guess is that they were in ethnic attire which only added to the malevolent effect in the minds of the other passengers. They probably really didn''t say anything provocative, but given the current climate (courtesy of fellow Muslims), it was the wrong thing in the wrong place. I, myself, have often wondered what would happen if I was seated next to a wing (which always seems to happen) if a fan blade separated from one of the engines.

[themooniac]

Geez, they get the award for dumbest American muslims. Highly educated perhaps but totally stupid in their remarks. Just goes to show you can have an education but no common sense.

[toolmangler-2009]

Looks like any paranoid fool can misconsture what anyone says and screw up everyones day.
Posted by endurorob at 06:21 PM : Jan 02, 2009



If they were here, the passengers of four particular Planes in the air on 9/11/2001 would say something else to you.

[rushlimpdrug]

Boo-hoo.

Too bad for you.

Like this is the worst crime ever.

Get over it will ya.

From story:
""My brother and his wife were discussing
some aspect of airport security," Kashif Irfan,
one of the Muslim passengers, said."

Gee, a muslim talking about security while
in a plane in an airport.

Why worry?

this is one reeetard muslim family.

[rushlimpdrug]

From story:
"The only thing my brother said was,
''Wow, the jets are right next to my window.''"

That was the only thing?. Really?

[hetup-2009]

Let them ride the buss. I don''t want them riding in an airplane with me. They should be excuminicated from the US. Too bad for the kids to have weirdo parents.

[alanw1077]

Poor Muslims. Of course, if you were a Christian and were caught even carrying a bible in Saudi Arabia, you could be arrested or deported.
And the Koran states it''s OK for Muslims to kill non-Muslims whenever you come across them. And all Muslims think every word in that book is the word of God.
So, I think the Muslims have a really BIG headstart on the US, when it comes to this "persecution" game.

[hunterdon6]

Let them go home to their muslim countries if they don''t like it over here.

[alanw1077]

If our Congress had a brain they''d have voted to have all Muslims kicked out of the US the day after 9-11. And stop allowing any Muslims to enter this country, even for vacation purposes. They serve no useful purpose in this world.

[simplemind2]

"Posted by AlanW1077 at 07:28 PM : Jan 02, 2009"

AlanW1077,
clearly you are one of those folks who are not aware of that with today''s Global economy - a lot of High-Tech US owned companies, not only hired "Global
Resources", but also trusted in them enough to let them - yes, some of them are actually Muslims - handle advanced technologies.
Bottom-line, we all need to get along with one another for mankind''s sake!
Capisce?

[cbullcom]

Alan I guest we should kick all white christian men out of america because of Timothy Mcveigh, I guest we should kick every white man out of this country when there is a hate crime comitted against someone because of race, I guest we should kick every christian white man out of this country whenever I hear about a chid being molested. Get my point

[krescera]

Everybody is jumping on the airline for the incident.But are the passengers involved completely blameless?Is it not utterly asinine to talk the way they did during the flight?They were probably stupidly and deliberately trying to provoke reaction by indulging in that kind of talk.Their bravado resulted in their discomfiture.That they are educated makes them all the more culpable.

[cbullcom]

So in reference to persecution, what do you call the Jim crow era, no difference that terrorism, please pull the log out of your own eye and really think about what you say before you stick your foot inn your mouth again.

[cbullcom]

Posted by krescera at 07:56 PM : Jan 02, 2009
That''s the problem with people like you, all speculation. Fact, you don''t persecute a whole religion for the acts of a few. If that is the case then as I stated before every white christian man in America should be deported because of the KKK, Neo Nazi, FDLS compound in Texas, no difference.

[hatesthecolt]

krescera has clearly never heard any of the nummnutts comments made by half the moron idiots on airplanes. The ONLY difference here is that these were clearly Muslims and therefore this is profiling. Come ON people: the 9/11 hijackers were single men with western style clothing NOT families/professionals in Muslim dress or appearance. Moreover, the current theory is that the next attack will come from Westerners who have been recruited. So how about we just start booting EVERYONE OFF.

The airline was wrong here; they figured it out and are just hoping they don''t get sued. You guys need to catch the clue too.

[alanw1077]

cbullcom, you made a common mistake:McVeigh was not Christian, he was agnostic. And, unlike Muslims, he didnt kill in the name of religion. So, your analogy is nonsense. Try again.
By the way, 5 million people killed by Muslims since 1970, worldwide. Not exactly like your Oklahoma City comparison, is it? Bottom line: you are a fool.

[alanw1077]

Simplemind2, your name fits you well, as you do think...very simply.
3000 Americans burned to death on 9-11 by Muslims, Capiche?
Over 5 million people murdered by Muslims since 1970, globally. Capiche?
The Koran orders all Muslims to kill non-Muslims. Capiche?

The real question is, do YOU Capiche?
I''m the one with 26 years of Middle Eastern studies and a Masters in International Relations. What have YOU accomplished regarding Islam and Jihad studies, besides reading this forum

[cbullcom]

Ok Alan what about the Klan, they claim Christianity. Go to there web site. What is the difference.

[alanw1077]

Cbullcom , you are 100% wrong. There is a WORLD of difference. Islam teaches millions to kill non-Muslims in the NAME of religion. Christianity teaches no such thing.
Muslims who kill are actually following the orders of the Koran.
Any Christian who kills is going completely against his religion and the Bible. Christianity teaches love.
Islam teaches hate and murder.

3000 Americans burned to death on 9-11 by Muslims, on the orders of their god. Over 5 million people murdered by Muslims since 1970, globally; all ordered by Allah.

Bottom line:
it''s simply unheard of for people to commit mass murder in the name of ANY Christian religion.
But, for Islam, it is a daily occurrence.

Or, have you simply not read or watched the news for the last 30 years or so?

[alanw1077]

Cbullcom , it''s pathetic you bring up the KKK. Is that rally the best you can do? What''s their membership, a thousand people tops? How many murders have they committed in the last 10 years?
Where are your stats?
Jihad has well over 10 MILLION active members. Their murder rate worldwide has averaged over 150,000 per year for the last 30 years.
What does the KKK have, like, ever???
The KKK is a blip, an insignificant tiny nothing of a group. 99.9% of Americans don''t even know one Klan member.

Meanwhile, Islam counts 1.5 BILLION people.
Bottom line: You are both an idiot and you support Islamic terror

[hatesthecolt]

AlanW1077, got any statistics on how many Muslims the Israeli Army has killed? I thought not.

[cbullcom]

Alan are you a Muslim, and if so tell me what you know. Not the garbage you see on TV. You are wrong, and like I said earlier white men are molesting kids at an all time high, how would you feel if you were lumped with all child molesters. You acn''t win this argument.

[cbullcom]

Ok Alan what about NEO NAZI I''m sure they have lots of members here in the US and Abroad, but here is what is pathetic, and that is you judging a whole group of people based on a religion you know nothing of. There are white Muslims, Black, Arabb, Chinese, many Nationalities of people are Muslims, just like many Nationalities of people are Christian. Grow up Alan, quit being a scared little Punk. Things you should be afraid of, like your Goverment using the media to lie to you every chance you get. Oh yea we had to go to war for weapons of MASS Detruction, yea right, weapons never found.