9 Muslim Passengers Removed From Jet

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

Sotry in Washington Compost

Officials ordered nine Muslim passengers, including three young children, off an AirTran flight headed to Orlando from Reagan National Airport yesterday afternoon after two other passengers overheard what they thought was a suspicious remark.

AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson agreed that the incident amounted to a misunderstanding. But he defended AirTran's handling of the incident, which he said strictly followed federal rules. And he denied any wrongdoing on the airline's part.

Hutcheson confirmed that it was ultimately the pilot's decision to postpone the flight. But he said the pilot was influenced not only by the complaints from passengers but by the actions of two federal air marshals on board, who had learned of the incident and reported it to airport police.

 

[FA Mikey]

Sad to see this hysteria is alive and well.

 

[SKY HIGH]

"Six of the nine detained passengers approached the customer service counter and asked to be rebooked to Orlando," the AirTran statement says.
"At the time, the airline had not been notified by authorities that the passengers were cleared to fly and would not rebook them until receiving said clearance. One passenger in the party became irate and made inappropriate comments," and local police escorted the passengers away, the statement said. 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.
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Just how often does an AGENT have to call Police at the Airport? They had to escort this group away because they got ABUSIVE. Good for AIRTRAN. A security issue arose, they followed through with it. That's called PROCEDURE!

And, how interesting, that he thinks SAFETY relates to the treatment of second class citizens.
And, of course, ends the article with..."Strong possibility that HE WILL PURSUE a LAWSUIT."
Hmmm, possibly, he intention in the first place???

 

[F4fixer]

Well THANK YOU AIR TRAN.I always Fly with you and will keep doing so.It make me feel good that if someone is not acting correctly that they are not affraid to kick them off be them(DELETED BY MODERATOR) or whom ever.Thanks again

 

[stockinluv]

Muslims flying in large groups nowadays should expect folks to be leary. they can't tell me that they don't feel it looks just a little bit suspicious to be huddled in a group discussing the best place to sit? This is America we are supposed to sit back, trust everybody, and wait to get sneak attacked again. If this had happened in any Arab countries airport. this would not even had been an issue. We don't mind being interogated & searched in Turkey but we are insulted if it happens in the U.S.?

 

[FA Mikey]

The incident began about 1 p.m. Thursday when Atif Irfan, his wife, Sobia Ijaz, 21, and Kashif Irfan's wife, Inayet Sahin, 33, took their seats at the rear of the plane.

Officials said two teenage girls sitting nearby became alarmed when they heard Sahin remark that sitting near the engines would not be safe in the event of an accident or an explosion. The girls told their parents, who told a flight attendant, AirTran officials said.

The Muslim passengers said their innocuous banter was misconstrued.

"The conversation we were having was the conversation anyone would have," Atif Irfan said in a telephone interview from Florida. "She did not use the word 'bomb,' she did not use the word 'explosion.' She said it would not be safe to sit next to the engines in the event of an accident."




FBI agents quickly cleared the passengers of wrongdoing. However, an AirTran gate agent barred them from booking a new flight because she had not been notified of their clearance, the airline said.

One traveler became irate and made an inappropriate remark, the airline said. Airport police were summoned, but by the time officers arrived, the passengers had left to book a flight on another airline, airport spokeswoman Tara Hamilton said.
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As more and more of the story come out, the more ridiculous it becomes.

 

[LCC_#1]

If I threw every person off the a/c that questioned the area that was safest on the airplane, the airlines would fly pretty much fly empty. This was yet another ignorant attempt to save America from "those people." Frankly, I am much for afraid of christians and their behind the scene terrorism.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

Frankly, I am much for afraid of christians and their behind the scene terrorism.

Yeah, all those sleeper Christian suicide bombers scare me too.

Don't even get me started on various pastors/churches/congregations that preach the destruction of all other infidel religions.

Even more telling is the silence from Christian community leaders regarding violence, tolerance, peace, etc.

And how dare those Christians try to wear a cross (necklace) in public. They should conform to proper dress in public.

Good thing there is Islam, the religion of peace.

Back on topic though, I wouldn't be in a rush to judge Airtran. According to the Washington Compost article, the captain did consult with the air marshals that were onboard.

 

[citrus jock]

Sad to see this hysteria is alive and well.

Even sadder to see that someone in the aviation industry would assume the media's version of what happened is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I've read/listened to the media's version, listened to interviews with the family involved, read press releases from the company, and finally, heard the always reliable scuttlebutt around the crew room.

From all of that, it appears that some passengers heard something they thought was suspicious (I make no judgement on the validity of that, not having heard for myself the allegedly suspicious comments), reported it to a F/A who in turn reported it to the Captain (understandable, and possibly required, depending on the alleged comments). Departing from DCA, and having air marshals onboard, the Captain decided to inform the marshals (again, understandable and possibly required) and his dispatcher (required). From this point, it's my understanding that either AirTran or the marshals informed the TSA (probably a violation not to, especially departing from DCA), who called in the FBI. I would guess the decision to deplane the rest of the passengers and rescreen them was not made by the crew, because the crew themselves, along with their bags, were required to be rescreened.

The media's version ("AirTran threw a Muslim family off one of their flights") is a bunch of crap. In listening to two separate interviews with the family, the family doesn't dispute anything I posted above, with the exception that their comments while boarding were suspicious. After all other passengers and the crew were rescreened, it's my understanding that the Muslim family was not at the departure gate, and the FBI nor the TSA had informed AirTran that the family had been cleared to fly. Only after the flight had departed did the family approach the ticket counter inquiring about flying to MCO, and I believe we have only that one flight a day (nonstop DCA-MCO). In order to travel that same day, the family flew on US Airways, and AirTran offered to reimburse them for every penny of the walk-up fares.

If the "hysteria" you refer to is on the part of the other passengers who reported the "suspicious" comments, I would think you'd need to know what those passengers supposedly heard. We know from interviews with the family what they claim to have said. Sometimes people "hear" things that aren't actually said. But, thats called "miscommunication", not "hysteria".

If the "hysteria" you refer to is on the part of AirTran, federal air marshals, the TSA, or the FBI, perhaps you could enlighten us as to which parts of our collective manuals and proceedures we're allowed to (in the world according to FA Mikey) ignore.

"Monday morning quarterbacks" are allowed to exist due to others doing their jobs, by the book. That's not to say judgement is not allowed; but less of it's allowed when you're taking off a few blocks from the White House, Congress, etc.

 

[tech2101]

Yeah, all those sleeper Christian suicide bombers scare me too.

Don't even get me started on various pastors/churches/congregations that preach the destruction of all other infidel religions.

Even more telling is the silence from Christian community leaders regarding violence, tolerance, peace, etc.

And how dare those Christians try to wear a cross (necklace) in public. They should conform to proper dress in public.

Good thing there is Islam, the religion of peace.

Back on topic though, I wouldn't be in a rush to judge Airtran. According to the Washington Compost article, the captain did consult with the air marshals that were onboard.

Yeah, why let "those people" (Islam believers) fly at all. h34r:

It is far too risky... :blink:

 

[SKY HIGH]

The incident began about 1 p.m. Thursday when Atif Irfan, his wife, Sobia Ijaz, 21, and Kashif Irfan's wife, Inayet Sahin, 33, took their seats at the rear of the plane.

Officials said two teenage girls sitting nearby became alarmed when they heard Sahin remark that sitting near the engines would not be safe in the event of an accident or an explosion. The girls told their parents, who told a flight attendant, AirTran officials said.

The Muslim passengers said their innocuous banter was misconstrued.

Hmm, a "MUSLIM ATTORNEY" boarding a FLIGHT IN WASHINGTON. Is that arrogance or ignorance? Just how many passengers say that word onboard: EXPLOSION? WHY NOT DISCUSS "HIJACKING" out loud? Ask for belt extensions? Pray OUT LOUD?
We've been through this TYPE OF BEHAVIOR from Muslims and they LOST THEIR CASE.
REPEATS ANYONE?

 

[stockinluv]

Maybe I'm wrong but nowadays it seems some Muslims go out of their way to draw attention to themselves. and act insulted in anyone responds. These same Muslims are silent when Hamas and Al Qaida launch attacks, but quick to criticize western policies

 

[FA Mikey]

what not to say when flying Muslim story here


What to say, or not, if flying while Muslim

The need for such a list is illustrated by a New Year's Day incident at Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport. An AirTran Airways flight was delayed two hours and a group of nine Muslims -- eight family members and a friend -- was refused permission to fly after two teenage girls overheard a member of the group say that sitting near the engines would be particularly unsafe in the event of an accident.


So there you have No. 1 on the list of Things Not To Say If You Are Muslim: Do not say anything about air safety. Granted, that's a staple, albeit morbid, topic for skittish fliers the world over, but you are not ''the world over.'' You are Muslims in America, post Sept. 11. You may not discuss air safety. Not even to say, ''For criminy sake, Malik, take your Valium and shut up; flying is perfectly safe.'' If you discuss air safety even to defend it, we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 2: Do not use ''gee'' words. Do not say jeepers, gee-whiz, Jesus or jehosophat. Someone listening in may think you said ''jihad,'' and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 3: Do not say jihad. If you do, we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 4: Do not discuss movie history. Eventually, someone will observe that Ishtar was one of Hollywood's all-time biggest bombs. Someone listening in will report that you plan to blow up Hollywood, and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 5: Do not talk sports. Somebody might say, ''Boy, I hate the Dolphins.'' Then Homeland Security will have to shut down SeaWorld, Shamu will have to be guarded by unsmiling men in sunglasses . . . and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 6: Do not discuss the weather. If someone says, ''I can't believe it's raining again today'' and someone else says, ''Weatherman says it's going to be even worse tomorrow,'' and then the first someone says, ''Any more of this and we're all going to drown,'' someone listening in will report a plot to blow up the levees and flood the town. And we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

Indeed, it occurs to me that it might be easier to list the things that are safe for you to talk about, that won't make some eavesdropper think you an evil, America-hating outsider. There are two things. The first: lawsuits. There is nothing more reflective of American values than suing the so-and-sos who have mistreated and embarrassed you.

Indeed, one of the detained Muslims told The New York Times, ''We have not ruled out the possibility of legal action.'' It struck just the right tone, saying to skeptical fellow Americans in no uncertain terms: Hey, we are just like you.


what not to say when flying Muslim story here

 

[citrus jock]

what not to say when flying Muslim story here


What to say, or not, if flying while Muslim

The need for such a list is illustrated by a New Year's Day incident at Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport. An AirTran Airways flight was delayed two hours and a group of nine Muslims -- eight family members and a friend -- was refused permission to fly after two teenage girls overheard a member of the group say that sitting near the engines would be particularly unsafe in the event of an accident.


So there you have No. 1 on the list of Things Not To Say If You Are Muslim: Do not say anything about air safety. Granted, that's a staple, albeit morbid, topic for skittish fliers the world over, but you are not ''the world over.'' You are Muslims in America, post Sept. 11. You may not discuss air safety. Not even to say, ''For criminy sake, Malik, take your Valium and shut up; flying is perfectly safe.'' If you discuss air safety even to defend it, we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 2: Do not use ''gee'' words. Do not say jeepers, gee-whiz, Jesus or jehosophat. Someone listening in may think you said ''jihad,'' and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 3: Do not say jihad. If you do, we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 4: Do not discuss movie history. Eventually, someone will observe that Ishtar was one of Hollywood's all-time biggest bombs. Someone listening in will report that you plan to blow up Hollywood, and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 5: Do not talk sports. Somebody might say, ''Boy, I hate the Dolphins.'' Then Homeland Security will have to shut down SeaWorld, Shamu will have to be guarded by unsmiling men in sunglasses . . . and we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

No. 6: Do not discuss the weather. If someone says, ''I can't believe it's raining again today'' and someone else says, ''Weatherman says it's going to be even worse tomorrow,'' and then the first someone says, ''Any more of this and we're all going to drown,'' someone listening in will report a plot to blow up the levees and flood the town. And we will have to conclude that you are a terrorist.

Indeed, it occurs to me that it might be easier to list the things that are safe for you to talk about, that won't make some eavesdropper think you an evil, America-hating outsider. There are two things. The first: lawsuits. There is nothing more reflective of American values than suing the so-and-sos who have mistreated and embarrassed you.

Indeed, one of the detained Muslims told The New York Times, ''We have not ruled out the possibility of legal action.'' It struck just the right tone, saying to skeptical fellow Americans in no uncertain terms: Hey, we are just like you.


what not to say when flying Muslim story here

Amusing, yet irrelevant. When I want to read about how America is such a terrible country to live in, how we're not even coming close to bending over far enough to accomodate others' cultures here, how the only true evidence of a terroristic threat is if I actually SEE someone (Muslim or otherwise) holding a large black ball-shaped object with fuse lit labled "Acme Bomb Company", there are many op-ed types I can turn to. And, Leonard Pitts is one of the best.

However, when I'm informed by a F/A, passenger, gate agent, dispatcher, mechanic, etc. that there might be a problem with security, misconduct, weather, mechanical, etc. on my flight, I'm required to ascertain the seriousness of that problem, request imput from others if applicable, and notify certain individuals if necessary or required. These procedures are outlined in my FOM (our F/A's procedures are outlined in their FAM), and I, nor you, nor any other crewmember has the authority, other than in an emergency (which is not defined by Leonard Pitts' cultural desires) to disregard them. Pitts writes mostly about racism and his ideas to eliminate it. If I (typical white male, conservative, living in a southern state, no degree in journalism) attempted to write a column about my experiences being the victim of racism, I'd be justifiably mocked. His attempts to mock the actions of those charged with security and safety on an airplane (something in which his column demonstrates his cluelessness) get my scorn.

It may well turn out that the passengers who overheard the Muslim's comments overreacted, were biased toward foreigners, thought it would be funny to turn "nothing" into "something", etc. My only disagreement with you is that I think any judgement should be withheld until we know what the passengers claimed to have heard, what they told the F/As, what the F/As told the Captain, and what the Captain told the air marshals and his dispatcher. I might have found it suspicious too that on a full flight, a group of Muslims were discussing alternative seating when they have assigned seats, even if they didn't make other comments. So far, we've heard from the Muslim group; all we've gotten from the passengers' side is what they allegedly said, as reported by journalists, who can't write/report on anything aviation related without completely screwing it up, or in Pitts' case, telling us that safety and security come after ensuring we don't hurt anyone's feelings.

 

[ORDmech]