The Orthodox Jewish travelers who were kicked off a JetBlue flight, is now suing the airline.
The story – with the exclusive audio of the events – was first reported by TLS earlier this year.
The incident happened during a flight from Palm Springs to New York, when a religious man found himself seated next to a woman, and attempted to switch for religious purposes.
An argument ensued, with the flight attendant complaining to the captain about “feeling unsafe” and the ultimate removal of the travelers from the plane. Read the full story here.
The travelers allege they were unfairly targeted because of their religion, as other non-Jewish passengers who switched seats had no issues.
The travelers have now filed a lawsuit against the airline.
“People switch seats on flights every day for a variety of reasons,” Evan Brustein, Esq., of the NYC-based law firm Brustein Law PLLC told TLS. “Yet when Mr. Lunger attempted to switch seats for religious reasons, not only was he removed from the flight but so was his family. Our clients are not just seeking justice in the courtroom; but reaffirmation that every individual, regardless of their religious beliefs, is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect and that everyone deserves to travel safely without fear of prejudice.”
JetBlue did not provide comment on the incident.