Muslim women escorted off plane for 'staring' at crew member

The pair had flown from Boston to Los Angeles in the US

Image via Shutterstock
<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-153303443/stock-photo-many-planes-waiting-for-take-off.html" target="_blank">Image</a> via Shutterstock
Press Trust of India Los Angeles
Last Updated : Mar 09 2016 | 2:59 PM IST
In a shocking incident, two Muslim women were escorted off from a plane by police after a cabin crew member accused them of "staring" at her.

The pair had flown from Boston to Los Angeles in the US without incident but were singled out after the JetBlue passenger plane landed, witnesses said.

Passengers said they had heard a member of cabin crew tell a coworker that she "did not appreciate" being stared at by the women, The Sun reported.

Also Read

"The flight attendant had casually relayed to a coworker that she did not appreciate being stared at - she did not seem rattled or scared - just smug," said Sharon Kessler, who was on board the flight.

"Then - after we landed - she announced that the authorities would be boarding the plane and to remain in our seats with seat belts," said Kessler.

A video of the incident was posted on YouTube.

"It was a terrible moment - honestly - these women sat quietly, watched movies - it felt like overkill from this flight attendant," Kessler wrote on her Facebook page.

In a statement, JetBlue said the flight attendant had been under the impression one of the women had been filming in-flight procedures.

"If a crew member believes a customer may be filming safety procedures, the crew member may report it for further review. In this instance, our crewmembers acted in accordance with security procedures. We appreciate our customers' patience and cooperation, and apologise for the inconvenience," the airline said.



*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Mar 09 2016 | 2:25 PM IST

Next Story