Man Briefly Kept From Boarding Flight After Complaint That He Spoke Arabic

A Southwest Airlines jet plane lands at Love Field Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, in Dallas. Southwest Airlines plans to start nonstop flights between Dallas and New York and 14 other cities this fall, when federal limits on... A Southwest Airlines jet plane lands at Love Field Monday, Feb. 3, 2014, in Dallas. Southwest Airlines plans to start nonstop flights between Dallas and New York and 14 other cities this fall, when federal limits on the airline's home airport end. (AP Photo/LM Otero) MORE LESS
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A Philadelphia man was temporarily barred from boarding an airplane Wednesday after a fellow passenger overheard him speaking Arabic and complained that it made him uncomfortable, The Associated Press reported.

Pizza shop owner Maher Khalil was about to board a Southwest Airlines flight from Midway International Airport in Chicago when he was briefly held at the gate following the passenger’s complaint, according to the report.

Khalil called police for assistance, but when they arrived, other passengers thought it was in response to a terrorist threat, Khalil told the AP.

Passengers were further suspicious when Khalil ultimately boarded the plane, carrying a white box, which some onlookers asked him to open.

He said he opened the box and shared with them some of his baklava.

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Notable Replies

  1. Cowardice is abroad in the land
    Are we now afraid of baklava? Or people speaking something other than standard white bread English? I’ll hafta remember to not use my limited Spanish or Maya.

  2. Therein lies the way out. Saturation bomb the entire United States with baklava.

  3. I know a lot of people that think Hebrew is a Arabic and they ID Israelis as Arabs.

  4. Avatar for dnl dnl says:

    Frere Jacques tune:

    Fear and loathing
    Fear and loathing
    Grows well here
    Grows well here
    Pavlov bells un-needed
    Pavlov bells un-needed
    With FauxNews
    With FauxNew.

  5. Seems there are a considerable number of folks more than ready to fear every little thing. Even 4 yr old orphans. Just ask Chris Christie the “oh so brave” gov. of New jersey

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