Pilot channels Juan Williams, refuses to fly Muslims

With the few facts we've heard, it does not make the pilot sound good. When all the facts come out, he still may not look good.

But, as has been pointed out, Muslims in "muslim garb" fly on every airline, every day in America.

There are two sides to this story and so far we've only heard one. And Delta/ASA will likely not let the pilot(s) speak publicly.

I'd like to hear from other passengers.

These guys boarded the plane. The doors were shut and the plane was on the taxi way.

Something made them turn around. And, since a plane isn't like your family station wagon, it was likely the result of something that was brought to the pilot's attention and not something he/they witnessed.

Someone else -- a flight attendant or fellow passenger -- was likely spooked and the pilot responded to that.

So, while these particular individuals likely posed no threat, I'm not sure you can chalk the decision up to Islamaphobia/xenophobia, and I don't know how you can make this statement without having all the facts:

 

Read the entire story, YF. I think you'll understand a bit better when you have some more facts.

The two guys were screened by TSA, including secondary screening. The pilot took the plane back to the gate, where they were screened AGAIN. Now, I am guessing that means whatever the pilot's perceived or imagined issue, they were AGAIN cleared to get on the plane at that point. That, by my count, is at least two cleared screenings under enhanced procedures.

At which point the pilot still refused to fly with them ... apparently substituting his whims for the judgment of highly trained TSA security professionals.

Hope that helps.

 

Now, that's funny.

The TSA only screens for objects.

I would guess that it was something in the behavior of these two individuals that had the crew concerned.

That's something that would have been witnessed by those on the plane and not the TSA.

And, once a pilot makes a decision not to fly someone there is very little chance that he is going to change his mind. It's not a decision that is made lightly.

 

I would not be surprised to find out one of these gentlemen said something to upset or alarm a passenger or passengers. And I would expect this "something" was innocuous but the passenger or passengers (or flight crew) over-reacted.

I would not be surprised to find out one of these gentlemen said something to stir the pot so to speak because they were upset about being rescreened and decided to fuck with people.

 

Yes, I'm sure the Muslims are somehow to blame.

 

Whatever, YF. Your track record here has proven time and time again that you're going to see things in the light least favorable to Muslims. Lather, rinse, repeat.

So if the TSA only screens for objects, what is secondary screening for?

And to repeat: Whatever it was the pilot thought he saw, the two men were screened AGAIN when the plane returned to the gate. And cleared. For a second time.

This from yesterday's Charlotte Observer story:

Dressed in traditional Muslim clothing, Rahman said a Delta official apologized to them after they were removed from the plane Friday morning. He said the official told them that the pilot said some passengers were concerned about them on the flight.

And the TSA's statement:

A Transportation Security Administration spokesman confirmed the incident Friday and said it was not that agency's decision to deny boarding.

"They were screened and cleared to fly," said TSA spokesman Jon Allen in Atlanta. "The decision to deny boarding was made by the airline, not TSA."

 

Ha ha ha. I've only been the one cheerleading for Muslims for months as they fight against oppressive dictators. All while some of the board's most liberal members (and, to be fair, some of the most conservative members too) argued for "stability" and against freedom for Muslims.

It's still mostly for objects.

Sure, if you blurt something out, they won't let you fly. But, if you're ever received secondary screening, you know it's still just a more invasive bodily search. They don't bring in experts to question you.

I've received secondary screening in Israel, and let me tell you, it's very different.

As you can see, some passengers were concerned. We still don't know what concerned them. Maybe it was something real. maybe it was something trivial. Maybe it was pure racism. But, we still don't know.

And maybe they even lied or exaggerated about what they saw or heard. But, clearly something was brought to the pilot's attention.

And they flew later the same day.

You may think it's wrong, but I'll tell you this from experience in the industry: if you are pulled off a plane, you're not getting back on that plane.

If there is a misunderstanding or whatever, they'll get you to your destination, but not on that plane. That's just how it works.

The captain of the plane is in charge and once he makes up his mind, that's it. Right or wrong.

 

Well, I guess that's settled.

We'll see how this shakes out. But right now, it sounds like a case of overreaction. What "concerned the passengers" may have just been the fact that they looked like Muslims. The fact that the two men were re-screened and cleared to fly again kind of makes you wonder. You'd think if they had said or done something suspicious, that wouldn't have been the case.

And if that's the case, then we can't have that. I'm all for keeping legitimate threats off our planes. But "concerns" have to have some basis.

 

That track record comment was classic ignorance. Classic.

 

Guys, there's much more that goes on than what is said here. And the public wouldn't be told about it.

I am a former Ground Security Coordinator, and there are things I can't specifically discuss, but likely something was triggered that caused all of this.

I doubt highly it was their dress or their religion that was the sole reason(s) behind this.

And Boon, he may have said that and that may have been the story issued, but again, that was unlikely the whole reason for the RTB.

 

I guess we just have to take it on faith.

 

Hope it wasn't because of scary Mooslims: