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05.12.2023 - 20:43 / travelpulse.com / Rich Thomaselli
The war between Israel and Hamas has made the already skittish airline industry even more diligent about messaging on passenger attire.
A customer on an American Airlines flight last week said he was asked to remove his shirt because it read "Palestine."
He said that American was "complicit in the murders of innocent Palestinian children in Gaza." He did comply with the airline's request, but now a U.S. Congresswoman is involved.
Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib asked, "Does American Airlines have a bias toward Palestinians?"
The incident happened on a flight from New York to Phoenix. The passenger has not been publicly identified. The passenger was only identified as a male and said he was asked to take his sweatshirt off or turn it inside out under threat of removal. The crew said it was too political.
Per American Airlines, clothing that is considered offensive is not allowed to be worn. There is no policy about clothing that is political, however.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee released a statement condemning the incident.
In a statement of its own, American Airlines said: "We strive to ensure all customers have a positive experience throughout their journey on American. We are looking into the matter and a member of our team is reaching out to learn more about their experience and address their concerns."
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
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Since the beginning of the 21st century, the United States has watched at least eight commercial airline brands disappear in a series of mergers in the industry.
Delta Air Lines and El Al Israel are teaming up.
Philippine Airlines just joined American Airlines' ever-growing list of international partners, putting the Southeast Asian archipelago much closer in reach.
Good news for Bilt Rewards members: The program has added a new airline transfer partner. Starting Dec. 15, 2023, Bilt Rewards members can transfer points to Avianca LifeMiles at a 1:1 ratio.
Flight attendants at Southwest Airlines overwhelmingly rejected a new contract over the weekend. The move is the latest in the mounting tensions between cabin crew and U.S. airline management that could result in the industry’s first labor action in more than a decade.
American Airlines will fly as many as 40 daily routes to Cancun and the Riviera Maya this winter, perfect for travelers plotting their winter escape.
Cobranded American Airlines credit cards let you earn American miles and Loyalty Points when you make purchases with your card. But on Wednesday, Dec. 6, I got an email from the American Airlines AAdvantage program titled "Reaching AAdvantage® status with your credit card." The highlight of the email is displayed under the "What has changed?" heading:
If you're an American Airlines AAdvantage member, you can now earn AAdvantage miles and Loyalty Points on most Aer Lingus-issued and -operated tickets, as first reported by Award Wallet.
To date, American has canceled fewer flights than any other Thanksgiving period in its history.
American will offer more seats than ever before out of Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW) next summer, offering more than 10,000 one-stop connections around the world. New service to Barcelona, Spain (BCN) and Redmond, Oregon (RDM) will take off next summer.
The U.S. airline industry today is dominated by four big airlines: American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. Together, they fly 78% of all of the seats in the U.S. market.