Mehwish Hayat lauds US action against Delta airline for kicking off Muslim passengers

KARACHI: Pakistan's TV and film actress Mehwish Hayat, who's   also very vocal to highlight social issues, has  commended US authorities for  taking a much needed step to fine  Delta airlines on its discriminatory move against Muslim passengers.

Delta Air Lines was fined $50,000 by the US authorities after ordering three Muslim passengers off a flight.

The US Transportation Department has found Delta airline of violating federal statutes that prohibit carriers from discriminating based on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.

Lauding  the   US move against the airline, the Punjab Nahi Jaoungi actress tweeted: "It is a sad state of affairs that has bought us to this. Perceptions have to change and people have to be more tolerant of one another irrespective of background, religion or appearance."

Delta has denied that it discriminated against the passengers in two separate incidents but agreed it could have handled the situations differently.

In one case in July 2016, a Muslim couple, the wife wearing a head scarf, was removed from the  flight. The US department has cited an incident as an example of discriminatory conduct in the consent order.