Thread: Muslim group threatens boycott of Northwest Airlines

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Wednesday, January 17, 2007 - 12:00 AM

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Muslim group threatens boycott of Northwest Airlines

By Niraj Warikoo
Detroit Free Press

DETROIT — A group of Detroit residents is threatening to lead a boycott of Northwest Airlines over what they say is a pattern of profiling against Muslim passengers.

Imam Hassan Al-Qazwini, head of the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn, Mich., was in a group of about 40 pilgrims who were prevented from boarding a connecting flight in Germany to Detroit on Jan. 7 while returning from a trip to holy cities in Saudi Arabia. The Muslim group, most of whom are Lebanese-American Shiites, held a news conference Tuesday at the Dearborn mosque to describe what they say happened to them. They called for Northwest to apologize, compensate them, and discipline the employees they said profiled them.

"Otherwise," Al-Qazwini said, "if Northwest will not do that, then probably we have to call all Muslim organizations to encourage Muslims from not flying on Northwest."

With tens of thousands of Muslim customers, Northwest could be hurt financially by such a boycott, Al-Qazwini suggested, adding that "I hope Northwest will be wiser."

But Northwest officials defended their actions Tuesday, repeating that the 40 or so pilgrims were unable to board because they weren't at the gate in time.

"They showed up at the gate late," said Dean Breest, a spokesman for Northwest Airlines. "All customers need to be on time."

Northwest Airlines requires passengers to check in for international flights at least 60 minutes prior to departure and to be on board the aircraft at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time, according to a statement it issued.

Al-Qazwini and other pilgrims said Tuesday that they were at the gate at least an hour and a half before departure time.

"We were treated really, really, really badly," said Jennifer Zreik, 29, one of the travelers.

According to Zreik and others, some of the Muslims with the group were allowed on the plane. But about 40 were not.

Some of the travelers said they had to spend the night at the airport; others had to pay $77 in penalty fees and more in hotel costs — without reimbursement.

Breest said, "I'm very sorry to hear that happened," but added this case has nothing to do with profiling.

Most of the pilgrims in the group are from Michigan, said Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group that has been fighting profiling of Muslims at airports. The council organized the news conference.

Al-Qazwini said he was recently prevented from praying on a Northwest Airlines flight.

But Breest said Northwest does not discriminate. He pointed out the high-profile case of Muslim imams who were escorted off a US Airways jet in November at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after they made Islamic prayers. The imams were eventually flown home by Northwest Airlines, he said.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

Maybe if American Muslims would speak out against the terrorism that Muslims are doing they would have justification of claiming racism. Until they do airlines must protect their passengers.

The same thing happened when the blue country with all the blue people were attacked by a group of radical terrorist green people. After that the blue people started paying more attention to the green people coming into their blue country. Of course the BCLU (Blue Civil Liberties Union) had to get involved by filing a lawsuit on behalf of the green people, charging racial profiling and discrimination by BICE (Blue Immigration Control & Enforcement).

I wish all the mohammedans would boycott Northwest permanently. Armed with that information, I'd know the safe airline to use. And if they'd start their own airline, nobody civilized would need all this extraordinary security we now pay for. sheesh

Boycott away,
NorthWest Airlines, the safest planes in the sky!

I wish they'd boycott all the airlines AND start the boycott while they are visiting the mid east. Let'm stay there. They'd have to swim to get to the US.

I'm glad that Northwest is standing behind their decision and not caving. I can't say I'm all that impressed w/ the muslim religion if it doesn't allow for any type of common courtesy for other races, religions, etc.
Just another shining example of how "multiculturism" doesn't work that well.
Let them boycott away, I doubt it will hurt Northwest's business that much.

Why would a large group knowing that every day they stop to pray at sundown, take a planned takeoff anywhere near that time.

let them do private charters or take mid-morning..flights

If 40 people had checked luggage and were not at the gate to board, the airline should have removed parcels and had the Police Bomb squard
check the items.

Why would a large group knowing that every day they stop to pray at sundown, take a planned takeoff anywhere near that time.

Jim,
Because they expect to be catered to because of their religion, and they know they can get away with it if they scream 'racism' 'racial profiling', etc.

let em boycott.
who gives a care if it keeps a few muslims off Northwest Airlnes.
just meanas that will be the safest airline out there