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More on Muslim family kicked off of AirTran flight for questioning
Yesterday, not long after Scott posted about the American family who are Muslim were removed from an AirTran flight at the Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington D.C., I heard an interview on NPR with Atif Irfan, one of the family members.
Irfan explained in more detail what happened to create the misunderstanding. Because there were nine of them, the family had booked the last rows of the plane so they could all sit together. As they were walking down the aisle, he and a sister-in-law were discussing which part of the plane was the safest. His wife recalls that a "couple of girls" who heard their conversation thought they were talking about doing some sort of terrorist act. Federal marshals escorted them off the plane for questioning.
As Irfan explained, the men in the family have beards and the women have head coverings, but other than that they were wearing western style dress. He also said they had three small children with them. Usually, he is very careful about what he says as to not alarm people, but this time they weren't thinking much about their conversation.
What amazes me about this story is not that the family was questioned, but that after the FBI cleared the family and asked AirTran to allow the family to fly, AirTran refused. Who did AirTran think the FBI were? Certainly the FBI had badges and obvious credentials. If the FBI aren't listened to, that's startling? Maybe there was a snafu in communication.
Irfan, by the way, has nothing but good things to say about the FBI who did get the family on a US Airways flight. AirTran has since offered restitution in a free flight home and reimbursement for the family's US Airways flight and an apology.
After listening to Irfan, I was reminded about the importance of civility. For the family who, from what I can tell, stayed calm and collected throughout their experience, bravo. I'm wondering just how many other passengers would have behaved so well? It's also a reminder that passengers do listen to conversations. What you say could be held against you.
By the way, Atif Irfan was born and raised in Detroit and now is a lawyer who lives in Alexandria, Virginia.
Filed under: Stories, Airlines, Transportation, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Karen Jan 3rd 2009 2:53PM
I think this is perfectly reasonable. We are told to report suspicious activity and conversation and I think this qualifies.
I also don't think it was a big deal not to let them back on the flight. I do think they should have been allowed on another flight though, and I think AirTran's handling was fine. There was a policy in place and they followed it. They offered a refund and return flight.
I also think that this family handled themselves well. I just hope they don't sue and blow it.
Don Jan 3rd 2009 4:12PM
I hope they sue the h*ll out of Airtran for discrimination. All it takes is some teenage girls claiming suspsicious activity to get someone kicked off a flight??? The FBI investigated and found no such activity took place. Maybe the next time a muslim looking person gives me a dirty look on a plane I should turn them in as suspicious? If they had been Caucasian, this would not have happened. I'd sue Airtran, the TSA and the girls.
Karen Jan 3rd 2009 4:13PM
And you would lose.
They were not discriminated against. They engaged in activity that was considered suspicious. It was investigated. They were cleared. Policy was followed. They were offered a refund and a free return flight. All reasonable.
You don't have a right to monetary compensation because you get your feelings hurt.
The girls didn't report them because they gave them a dirty look, they reported them because they were talking about safety concerns on the plane. The girls didn't remove them from the plane. AirTran deemed it suspicious (as they might should) and investigated. Then they FOLLOWED THE EXISTING policy.
The FBI doesn't make the policy. They weren't denied ALL air travel, just air travel at that time. The FBI doesn't make Air Tran policy -which I noticed that this article - and most others leave out.
Get over it. OR sue and show what an ass you are. But you lose.
Jennifer Jan 8th 2009 12:45AM
While waiting for our flight home on Dec 31st my brother and I had a conversation very similar to this family's. (unthinkingly.) We were overheard and nothing happened to us. The big difference is that we are white and this family is not. Kinda of sad.
While I understand AirTran removing them from the plane for questioning there was absolutely NO reason for them to not reboard an AirTran's flight. That is where they went wrong.
Don Jan 3rd 2009 4:12PM
There was no suspicious activity. The FBI determined that. Please read the article. Just a couple of clueless teenage girls.
The next time you are discriminated against because you are a woman I'll just laugh it off as "hurt feelings". This family was marched off an airplane by armed officers and questioned by the FBI solely because they were muslim looking. They were refused rebooking.
You are feeding the irrational hysteria and paranoia. The next time I see a family with some Caucasian teenage girls on a flight, I think I'll report them for "suspicious activity" just for kicks. It seems that's all it takes to get someone kicked off.
leni Jan 5th 2009 1:27PM
I did read the article, in it one of the questioned passengers said that "Usually, he is very careful about what he says as to not alarm people, but this time they weren't thinking much about their conversation." Apparently they didn't think the teenage girls over reacted so much. They themselves realized how something they had said could be misunderstood.
Eva Jan 3rd 2009 4:54PM
Agreed, Jamie -- the most shocking thing about this is Air Tran's absurd behaviour after the family was cleared by the FBI. Paranoia and mistakes happen (unfortunately), but the fact that it took a couple of days (and plenty of media hoopla) to get an apology out of the airline, and some restitution for the US Airways flights they were forced to purchase, is ridiculous.
JT Jan 3rd 2009 4:53PM
AirTran did acknowledge that they refused to the allow the family to board a subsequent flight. (See their first statement issued on airtran.com.)
At the time, according to Mr. Irfan's account on NPR yesterday, the FBI had cleared the family to fly. AirTran maintained in their first statement issued about the incident that they were not aware of the FBI's decision to clear the family.
Well why not? Given the circumstances -- the family seeking to board a subsequent flight -- why didn't the AirTran reservations person immediately call TSA and the FBI to verify the family's claim?
Mr. Irfan had nothing but praise to offer the FBI. The special agents personally went to US Airways to secure seats for the family to take to Orlando.
Given the TSA rules, the pilot had the discretion to kick the family off the flight. Fine. But TSA and AirTran bungled the handling of what happened next.
TSA humuliated the family by questioning them in the Jetway and allowing the rest of the passengers to walk past them during the process of deplaning. The questioning should have happened in a private location.
If it was not possible for the family to reboard the plane after it was rescreened and ready for take off, the FBI and TSA should have personally intervened to secure another flight at no charge to the family. According to Mr. Irfan, the FBI did intervene with US Airways to secure flights.
The bottom line is that this family did NOTHING wrong. A bigoted teenage girl imagined the whole thing. Once that became clear, AirTran and the TSA should have immediately issued a heartfelt apology. Neither did. Our government and the airline sounded like a bunch of talking heads, not human beings. It was only after media heat that AirTran offered to reimburse the family for the cost of the US Airways flight.
What's alarming for ALL of us is that by allowing a situation like this to happen, AirTran and the TSA essentially let the terrorists win. The flying public deserves better.
Yes, we need to take airline security very seriously. But doing so doesn't mean caving into anti-Muslim prejudice or treating people rudely. The TSA and AirTran did both and should be ashamed of how they handled this situation.
I don't believe for one moment that this ever would have happened had the family been white and women not worn Muslim headscarves and the men beards. People are nervous about flying all the time and were so before 9-11. To talk about that is no reason to be thrown off a plane.
Americans should stand up to this kind of bigotry. Today it's Muslim-Americans. Who will it be tomorrow?
TooBeWise Jan 5th 2009 4:40PM
It is NOT bigotry - it is a national safety issue. When you (or your loved ones) are flying miles above ground, and given the state of Muslim and middle-east nations, the airlines did what was BEST for all passenger safety.
Boo-hoo, people's feelings were hurt. Cry me a river! (Not!)
JT Jan 5th 2009 9:37PM
If AirTran had agreed to board the family on the next flight following the FBI's clearance, I would agree with you.
But they didn't.
They denied the family tickets AFTER the FBI cleared them for flight. In fact, the FBI agents felt so bad about the mistake, they personally intervened with the other airlines, securing tickets on US Airways.
At no time did any member of the family say ANYTHING inappropriate or threatening. Not one word. An ignorant teenage girl IMAGINED the whole thing.
No one with our government has gone on the record saying the family did anything wrong.
Do you honestly believe that if the family weren't Pakistani-American and Turkish-American this would have happened? You don't think the men in beards and the women in headscarves made a difference here?
Really?
I hope the next flight you're on, no one accuses you of being a terrorist.
MandyB Jan 3rd 2009 5:17PM
Anyone who bothers to Wiki AirTran's safety record would know it's not that hot. Remember that crash in the Everglades that killed 110 people? That was AirTran by another name.
Three of the incidents in the last 10 years involving AirTran planes were due to electrical fires. I might be asking, myself, where the safest place to sit was, were I to travel with them.
Kel Jan 7th 2009 4:43PM
I wish EVERYONE would pay better attention when flying. Americans have become "comfortable" again and I think the pax and the Federal Air Marshalls that happen to be onboard did nothing wrong. I do think if they didn't have on Muslim attire they wouldn't have been questioned as fastly, but thats ignorance for you. TERRORIST CAN BE OF ANY RACE!!!
kaekaed@comcast.net Jan 4th 2009 9:43PM
teenagers are stupid (for the most part), so I am not surprised they misunderstood something. The airline acted properly in responding to a potential threat (they didn't know what the girls hear) and removed everyone (including the kids) and rescreened them. (hey make them all suffer)
Its what happened when the FBI told the airline, its all a misunderstanding - that's when AirTran screwed up Big Time. That was wrong on so many levels. and I kinda hope they do get sued - but I don't think they will.
BTW - by stupid - I mean lacking common sense, ignorance of basic logic, and herd mentality among other things, not unintelligent. I think most kids have intelligence but they haven't been trained to use their intelligence (after all, being smart means being a geek, or a nerd or whatever the slang is now). I apply this this pretty much universally, you can be in your 30s (or older) and still be a stupid immature kid.
bleu Jan 4th 2009 7:11PM
And none of you would have been disturbed having 9 obvious muslims walking past your seat, discussing safety of the plane? I for one would not just have contacted whoever was in charge of the plane, I would have hightailed out of the door and had not flown with that crew in the back seats. I know, you would just have been happy to listen to the words which many people find threatening but we can't all be as brave as you are.
john Jan 8th 2009 7:34PM
Well, then I guess you wouldnt like me flying with you either. My flying companions ahve discussed the exact same thing on many occassions in the waiting areas and as we picked a seat on the plane...In front of the wing, close to the exit, all the way back...where is the safest...
No one cared at all. Now, I am one of the most bigoted and xenophobic people I know...I would have seen it as a normal conversation by normal people that I just happen not to care for on a national level. Get a grip people. They did NOTHING WRONG!!!
bleu Jan 8th 2009 8:25PM
Aw, John, you pick your seats in the waiting areas? I have to do that weeks before I fly, when I buy my tickets. The only time I have a vague choice is when I upgrade at the counter. If you were a frequent flyer you really would not discuss seating preferences but take whatever is available.
David Jan 5th 2009 11:28PM
......and according to his neighbors, Mohammed Atta was one of the quietest, polite, family oriented, guy next door people one could meet. Looking at some of those comments YEP we're still gullible and naive.
Michael Jan 6th 2009 11:53AM
Suspicious activity? Are you crazy! There was no conversation about bombs. I think any parent with kids asking about safety in general is innocent common sense. I also wonder if any you who are defending ATA have Muslim friends, and can look them in the eye and defend this action?
el_al_expert Jan 6th 2009 6:25PM
at el-al this would have never happened... air-tran is basically a clueless airline when it comes to middle eastern people.... in their defense I would claim stupidity.... the redneck brittney spears wannabes and trailor trash rejects obviously thought it was funny and are laughing all the way to wal-mart.... the FBI was awesome and handled this professionally.... the bottom line is nobody got hurt and the Muslim Family made out of free flights.... heck I would trade that anyday!
i wonder how this guy does in court as a lawyer!
Tom Jan 8th 2009 9:04AM
Racism is still racism. These girls were just fueling the unfounded fear of a few. AirTran is the one at major fault for not allowing this family to fly. A substantial fine of maybe $500,000 might change their attitude along with their actions. Businesses must learn that there is a price to pay for racist activity.