Washington, DC – Today, Muslim Advocates and the law firm Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss PLLC filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) on behalf of five U.S. citizens who were subject to grossly discriminated against by Aeroflot Airlines simply because of their perceived race and national origin.
>Complainants – all of them U.S. citizens perceived to be of South Asian descent – were on a layover in Moscow on their way home to the U.S. after a trip to India. After their connecting flight was cancelled due to inclement weather, Aeroflot staff repeatedly threatened them when they asked for a new return flight to America, informing the passengers that they needed to return back to India. Meanwhile, the passengers perceived to be white Americans were given accommodations during their extended layover and were booked on the next-available flights back to the United States. Aeroflot’s treatment was not only unjust and unfair, it also clearly violates the company’s internal protocols as well as federal aviation and nondiscrimination laws.
“Aeroflot’s behavior is appalling and beyond any justification,” said Juvaria Khan, staff attorney at Muslim Advocates. “DOT must conduct a full and thorough investigation and hold Aeroflot accountable for its discriminatory actions and ensure that no other travelers endure this type of mistreatment.”
Aeroflot staff, however, refused to listen – one employee threatened the Complainants with civil and criminal sanctions, including forfeiture of their Aeroflot tickets if they refused to accept that they were “Indians” who had to return “back to India.” Fearing further persecution by Aeroflot and the Russian government, the Complainants reluctantly took a flight back to New Delhi; when they arrived there was not a single Aeroflot representative present to assist them, despite Aeroflot’s assurances to the contrary.
>According to Waleed Nassar, Partner at Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss PLLC, “This complaint is to ensure that a clear and unequivocal message is sent worldwide to any airline that chooses to contract with United States citizens and to offer flights to the United States: discrimination against any United States citizen on any basis – be it racial, religious, perceived ethnic origin or sexual orientation – is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”
Melanie Nathan
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