The war between Israel and Hamas has made the already skittish airline industry even more diligent about messaging on passenger attire.
A customer on an American Airlines flight last week said he was asked to remove his shirt because it read “Palestine.”
He said that American was “complicit in the murders of innocent Palestinian children in Gaza.” He did comply with the airline’s request, but now a U.S. Congresswoman is involved.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib asked, “Does American Airlines have a bias toward Palestinians?”
The incident happened on a flight from New York to Phoenix. The passenger has not been publicly identified. The passenger was only identified as a male and said he was asked to take his sweatshirt off or turn it inside out under threat of removal. The crew said it was too political.
Per American Airlines, clothing that is considered offensive is not allowed to be worn. There is no policy about clothing that is political, however.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released a statement condemning the incident.
In a statement of its own, American Airlines said: “We strive to ensure all customers have a positive experience throughout their journey on American. We are looking into the matter and a member of our team is reaching out to learn more about their experience and address their concerns.”Â
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