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Muslim religious leaders file suit against airlines

A lawsuit alleges that a Delta pilot refused to fly with two men in Muslim attire despite being cleared by the TSA.
Andrey Belenko
/
Flickr - http://j.mp/1SPGCl0
A lawsuit alleges that a Delta pilot refused to fly with two men in Muslim attire despite being cleared by the TSA.

Delta Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines are being sued by two imams who were asked to leave a Delta flight last May (Atlantic Southeast contracts with Delta on some flights).

According to CNN, Masudur Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul were cleared to board by TSA officials twice. The flight originated in Memphis and was going to Charlotte. Both men were wearing traditional Muslim attire.

The suit alleges that the pilot of the plane, after leaving the gate, returned to the gate and refused to fly with the men on aboard.

CNN reports a Delta manager tried to intervene on the men's behalf, but could not convince the pilot to fly:

From CNN:

The manager told the men that the pilot, "despite acknowledging that both plaintiffs were cleared to board, was personally objecting to the plaintiffs being on his flight. The pilot indicated that he believed the mere presence and perception of the plaintiffs on his plane would make other passengers feel uncomfortable."

Rahman and Zaghoul are seeking damages from the airlines through a trial.

Mark Brush was the station's Digital Media Director. He succumbed to a year-long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, in March 2018. He was 49 years old.
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