Councilon American-Islamie Relations Civil Rights Department 453 New Jersey Ave, S.E. Cc Al R Washington, D.C. 20003 Tel, 202-640-4935 | Fax 202-319-3317 July 20, 2016 Assistant General Counse! U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings ‘Aviation Consumer Protection Division 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE. Washington, D.C. 20590 Dear Sir or Madam: We write to request @ federal investigation on behalf of our client, Mohamed Ahmed Radwan, American Airlines singled out Mr. Radwan for individual monitoring and subsequently removed him from his flight based solely on his identifably Arabic and Muslim name. (On December 6, 2015, Mr. Radwan boarded American Airlines Flight No. 1821 at spproximately 4:00 p.m. easter, departing from Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT) to Detroit, Michigan (DTW). Mr. Radwan was assigned seat number 25-A. As Mr. Radwan took his designated seat, a female flight attendant loudly announced: “Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A: Iwill bbe watching you.” The flight attendant was positioned inthe aisle towards the rear of the plane: and passengers inthe surrounding vicinity heard her statement. After approximately one minute, ‘he fight attendant again repeated the announcement, this time stating: "Mohamed Ahmed, that is ‘a very long name, Seat 25-A: I will be watching you.” For the third time, in louder and more. aggressive tone, she again announced, “25-A: you will be watched.” "Mr. Radwan did not immediately react to her statements and continued to stow away his belongings and take his seat. ‘She did not make a similar statement about or to any other passenger. Daring a pass-through of the cabin, Mr, Radwan respectfully asked the flight attendant about her statements when she approached him. ‘The flight attendant replied that she would be monitoring everyone, When Mr. Radwan noted that she only stated his name and seat number ‘when she made the announcement and that it was discriminatory, the fight attendant accused him ‘of being “too sensitive” and proceeded towards the front of the plane, Shorty thereafter, a male ‘American Airlines employee approached Mr. Radwan and asked him to describe what happened. ‘Mr. Radwan explained thatthe flight attendant announced his name, seat umber, and stated, ‘will be watching you" several times. After Mr. Radwan described the incident, the male American Aiines employee walked towards the front of the plane and another American Airlines employee, Camille (Badge No. 7725200), subsequently approached Mr. Radwat and asked to speak to him. ‘Mr. Radwan again cooperated. Camille escorted Mr. Radwan tothe front ofthe plane and asked him to describe what happened in the presence of the flight attendant who made the statements at issue. Mr. Radwan explained thatthe fight atendant announced: “Mohamed Ahmed, Seat 25-A:1 will be watching you" several times to the passengers surrounding his vicinity. While Mr. Radwan described the incident to Camille, the flight attendant who made the annosncement at issve repeatedly interrupted him without offering any valid reason for her conduct. Camille then entered the cockpit for several minutes and returned to inform Mr. Radwan that American Airlines must remove him from his flight because the light attendan: who made the announcement was “uncomfortable.” At approximately 4:40 p.m. Mr. Radwan was escorted off and removed from American Aisines Flight No. 1821 By making several clear announcements that Mr, Radwan would be singled out as the subject of individual monitoring and then unjustifiably removing him from his fligh:, American Aitlines discriminated against Mr. Radwan in violation of 49 U.S.C. 8, § 40127(a), which prohibits fan nr earcier fom subjecting “a person in sir tensportation to discrimination on the sis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.” Based on the facts outlined above, itis apparent that American Airlines removed Mr. Radwan from his flight not out of a legitimate end credible safety concem or need, but because of his identifiably Arabic and Muslim name. ‘As a result of American Airlines’ discriminatory conduet, Mr. Radwan was compelled to book a significantly later flight hat evening with a different airline company through his travel agent. Worse than the inconvenience and unreasonable delay that was inflicted upon Mr. Radwan, ‘American Airlines humilisted Mr. Radwan by making statements that falsely portrayed him as a Potential terrorist and threat. Given the continuing rise of anti-Muslim rhetoric and hate crimes curring throughout the United States, this type of reckless and harmful conduct should not be tolerated by our nation’s airlines, which are legally charged with safely carrying all individuals ‘who are rightfully present in an equal and nondisctiminatory manner, without regard to their religious affiliation or ethnicity This incident is particularly troubling given the recent wave of incidents in which airline personnel have arbitrarily removed passengers of Muslim and/or Middle Eastern background Without an objectively reasonable cause or explanation. These decisions appear to te based on mere speculation or unsubstantiated fear, evidencing illegal discrimination, For exangpe, in just this year alone, the following incidents occurred: ‘+ On January 18, 2016, four men, including three Muslims and one Sikh, filed a lawsuit against American Airlines because their appearance made the crew and captain feel “uneasy about their presence on board” ‘© On March 20,2016, Muslims family with three young children was renoved from 4 United Airlines flight at Chicago O'Hare International Airport after they ‘requested an additional strap for the youngest child's booster se + On April 6, 2016, acollege student was removed from a Southwest Asines fight at Los Angeles Inernational Airport after another passenger heard him speaking Arabic On April 15, 2016, a Muslim Somali woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight at Chicago O'Hare Intemational Airport without adequate explanation.”‘+ On June 15, 2016, a bearded man was kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight after a passenger allegedly complained that he looked “Arabic and scary.” Accordingly, in addition to investigating Mr, Radwan's incident with American Airlines, ‘we respectfully request that che Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation Enforcement ‘and Proceedings ("Enforcement Office") conduct a thorough examination into the prevailing practices of major U.S. air cariers and publicly announce its findings, including whether any Violations of law may have occurred. Further, we believe that the Enforcement Office should {develop clear policy guidelines on the objective factors that are to be considered when determining passenger may legally be removed from a flight. In light of these incidents, we also urge the Enforcement Office to require that airlines undergo regular sensitivity and diversity trainings for their employees to ensure that passengers are not subjected to unfair and discriminatory treatment inthe future. ‘Thank you for your attention to tis matter. We look forward toa positive resolution that will help guarantee that U.S. air carriers remain in compliance with federal law probibiting discrimination on the basis of an ai travelers religion or ancestry. Sincerely Aad ‘Maha Sayee Staff Atorm Endnotes: “American Arne ‘ticked Muslin ond Sith pastngeroffgh a they made plot uneasy clin avs, de ‘ichedsmusin-sb-pseenge-of ih slums. 510850 AIR Press Release: CAIR-Chigo Seeks Corecie Acton afr Mari Fanily Kiced off Unted Aires Flight Ties: vi Collge Suse! ix Renoed fom Flight fer Speating Arabic on Plane, New York Time: ""CAIR Press Relese:CAUE 1 Cal for Bir Probe fer Mayland Malm Rnoved from Stent Flight in Ching: mgr caison/pes-cnedpes wisn Réunion. ‘suns fiscal "Man says bear go hin Kicked of Aska ines Pi Foc $8: on 200s syst him che sftsiskesifine ay