AirTran apologizes to bumped Muslims

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- AirTran Airways Friday apologized to nine Muslims for their removal from a Washington-to-Orlando, Fla., flight.

The passengers were heading to Florida Thursday when two other passengers on the plane reported overhearing some members of the group making what they interpreted as threatening remarks. The Muslim passengers, including three children, were removed from the AirTran plane at Washington's Reagan National Airport and were not permitted to re-board -- or to board other AirTran flights -- even after they had been cleared by FBI agents, The Washington Post reported.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Friday filed a complaint with the U.S. Transportation Department over the matter.

"It is incumbent on any airline to ensure that members of the traveling public are not singled out or mistreated based on their perceived race, religion or national origin," CAIR said in the complaint.

"We believe this disturbing incident would never have occurred had the Muslim passengers removed from the plane not been perceived by other travelers and airline personnel as members of the Islamic faith," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "There is a big difference between 'see something, say something,' which we all support, and reporting suspicions based solely on stereotyping and bias."

In addition to the apology, AirTran said it would provide free return airfare for the nine passengers. Spokesman Tad Hutcheson said AirTran would also refund the cost of the passengers' airfare on another airline after AirTran declined to rebook them, the Post reported.

In a statement, AirTran said "everyone understands that the security and the safety of our passengers is paramount and cannot be compromised." The airline also apologized to the passengers who were permitted to fly to Orlando, noting that no one on the flight "reached their destination on time on New Year's Day, and we regret it."