Delta fined $50,000 for discriminating against Muslim passengers

WASHINGTON: Delta Air Lines was on Friday fined $50,000 by the US Department of Transportation to settle allegations it discriminated against three Muslim passengers who were ordered off their planes.

In its consent order, the department said it found Delta "engaged in discriminatory conduct" and violated anti-discrimination laws when it removed the three passengers. In one incident on July 26, 2016, a Muslim couple were removed from Delta Flight 229 at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris after a passenger told a flight attendant their behavior made her "very uncomfortable and nervous".

The flight attendant said she saw Mr X texting on his cell phone using the word "Allah" several times. The captain then spoke with Delta’s corporate security, who said Mr and Mrs X were US citizens returning home and there were "no red flags."

The Department of Transportation said the captain had failed to follow Delta’s security protocol and it appeared that "but for Mr and Mrs X’s perceived religion, Delta would not have removed or denied them reboarding" of their flight.