Department of Transportation to Pursue Racial and Religious Profiling Case against American Airlines

May 21, 2003

Source: The Star-Telegram

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/5813604.htm

On May 21, 2003 The Star-Telegram reported that "Wajahat Sayeed of Plano [TX] believes he was singled out by American Airlines because of his dark skin and beard, which he keeps full for religious reasons... Sayeed was escorted off American Flight 1048 at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in October, and searched and humiliated, he alleged in a complaint that motivated the U.S. Department of Transportation to pursue the nation's first racial and religion bias case against an airline about two weeks ago... This week, American Airlines filed for a six-week extension to respond to the Transportation Department's complaint that the airline violated federal law by discriminating against passengers who were believed to be Arab, Middle Eastern, South Asian or Muslim. Without the extension, American would have to reply by Monday."