Passengers refuse to allow holiday jet to take off until two Asian men are thrown off

[motivez]

Another reason that I think racial profiling is BULLSHIT. It teaches people to be scared of people who are different

British holidaymakers staged an unprecedented mutiny - refusing to allow their flight to take off until two men they feared were terrorists were forcibly removed.

The extraordinary scenes happened after some of the 150 passengers on a Malaga-Manchester flight overheard two men of Asian appearance apparently talking Arabic.

Passengers told cabin crew they feared for their safety and demanded police action. Some stormed off the Monarch Airlines Airbus A320 minutes before it was due to leave the Costa del Sol at 3am. Others waiting for Flight ZB 613 in the departure lounge refused to board it.

The incident fuels the row over airport security following the arrest of more than 20 people allegedly planning the suicide-bombing of transatlantic jets from the UK to America. It comes amid growing demands for passenger-profiling and selective security checks.

It also raised fears that more travellers will take the law into their own hands - effectively conducting their own 'passenger profiles'.

The passenger revolt came as Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary was accused of using the terror crisis to make money. Government sources say he boasted to an official at the Transport Department: "Every time I appear on TV, I get a spike in sales."

The Tories said the Government's failure to reassure travellers had led the Malaga passengers to 'behave irrationally' and 'hand a victory to terrorists'.

Websites used by pilots and cabin crew were yesterday reporting further incidents. In one, two British women with young children on another flight from Spain complained about flying with a bearded Muslim even though he had been security-checked twice before boarding.

The trouble in Malaga flared last Wednesday as two British citizens in their 20s waited in the departure lounge to board the pre-dawn flight and were heard talking what passengers took to be Arabic. Worries spread after a female passenger said she had heard something that alarmed her.

Passengers noticed that, despite the heat, the pair were wearing leather jackets and thick jumpers and were regularly checking their watches.

Initially, six passengers refused to board the flight. On board the aircraft, word reached one family. To the astonishment of cabin crew, they stood up and walked off, followed quickly by others.

The Monarch pilot - a highly experienced captain - accompanied by armed Civil Guard police and airport security staff, approached the two men and took their passports.

Half an hour later, police returned and escorted the two Asian passengers off the jet.

'There was no fuss or panic'

Soon afterwards, the aircraft was cleared while police did a thorough security sweep. Nothing was found and the plane took off - three hours late and without the two men on board.

Monarch arranged for them to spend the rest of the night in an airport hotel and flew them back to Manchester later on Wednesday.

College lecturer Jo Schofield, her husband Heath and daughters Emily, 15, and Isabel, 12, were caught up in the passenger mutiny.

Mrs Schofield, 38, said: "The plane was not yet full and it became apparent that people were refusing to board. In the gate waiting area, people had been talking about these two, who looked really suspicious with their heavy clothing, scruffy, rough, appearance and long hair.

"Some of the older children, who had seen the terror alert on television, were starting to mutter things like, 'Those two look like they're bombers.'

"Then a family stood up and walked off the aircraft. They were joined by others, about eight in all. We learned later that six or seven people had refused to get on the plane.

"There was no fuss or panic. People just calmly and quietly got off the plane. There were no racist taunts or any remarks directed at the men.

"It was an eerie scene, very quiet. The children were starting to ask what was going on. We tried to play it down."

Mr Schofield, 40, an area sales manager, said: "When the men were taken off they didn't argue or say a word. They just picked up their coats and obeyed the police. They seemed resigned to the fact they were under suspicion.

"The captain and crew were very apologetic when we were asked to evacuate the plane for the security search. But there was no dissent.

"While we were waiting, everyone agreed the men looked dodgy. Some passengers were very panicky and in tears. There was a lot of talking about terrorists."

Patrick Mercer, the Tory Homeland Security spokesman, said last night: "This is a victory for terrorists. These people on the flight have been terrorised into behaving irrationally.

"For those unfortunate two men to be victimised because of the colour of their skin is just nonsense." [ ]

Monarch said last night: "The captain was concerned about the security surrounding the two gentlemen on the aircraft and the decision was taken to remove them from the flight for further security checks.

"The two passengers offloaded from the flight were later cleared by airport security and rebooked to travel back to Manchester on a later flight."

A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Malaga said: "These men had aroused suspicion because of their appearance and the fact that they were speaking in a foreign language thought to be an Arabic language, and the pilot was refusing to take off until they were escorted off the plane."

OMG! They were checking their watches! Can't be because they wanted to know what time it was, or were impatient like a lot of travelers. I mean, they're ASIAN! That starts with A like ARAB, and we know they're terrorists!

Speaking a foreign language that sounds Arabic is enough to apparently make you a terrorist too.

There were no racist taunts or any remarks directed at the men.

Because refusing to fly with someone because of their race isn't RACIST enough!

Seriously, do you people who support racial profiling not see that this is all that it will lead to? Fear and irrational suspicion of people who have NOTHING to do with the extremists simply because they look similar?

[thomez]

the airline should have just left anyone who didn't want to go and refused to refund them

that's what they'd do here without 2nd thought

and yes, this is where profiling gets you - on a direct path to racism

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Why would two asians be speaking arabic to each other? That is odd. And I don't know why you focused on the watch thing and ignored wearing heavy jackets in the heat. People wearing heavy, large jackets despite the heat, in and of it self, is something we're all told to watch out for. When you combine that with two asians speaking arabic, I can understand their concern.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by thomez

and yes, this is where profiling gets you - on a direct path to racism

I don't see what this has to do with racism, though. It's about odd, out of place behavior. If I saw two white guys speaking arabic to each other, wearing large jackets despite the heat, I'd also think something was going on. I doubt I'd demand they leave the plane, but I'd certainly think something was suspicious.

[Diesel66]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

Why would two asians be speaking arabic to each other? That is odd.

Who said it was arabic ?

And I don't know why you focused on the watch thing and ignored wearing heavy jackets in the heat. People wearing heavy, large jackets despite the heat, in and of it self, is something we're all told to watch out for. When you combine that with two asians speaking arabic, I can understand their concern.

The heavy jacket makes sence though, but a search could have shown the fear was unfounded. Lots of asians in CA wear heavy jackets even in the summer, weird

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

Originally Posted by Diesel66

Who said it was arabic ? The heavy jacket makes sence though, but a search could have shown the fear was unfounded. Lots of asians in CA wear heavy jackets even in the summer, weird

... passengers took to be Arabic.

I don't know whether it actually was Arabic, but I'm assuming it was for the sake of argument.

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

By the way, I remember hearing about this happening shortly after 9/11 in America.

[kinggovernor]

since when have Asians been racially profiled at airports?

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by thomez

the airline should have just left anyone who didn't want to go and refused to refund them

that's what they'd do here without 2nd thought

and yes, this is where profiling gets you - on a direct path to racism

so when they turn out to be terrorists and blow the plane up, the victim's families will sue the shit out of the airlines

[Donkey®]

In Britain, Asian = Pakistani.

As far as the story goes...it's pretty clear to me that the terrorists have won.

[thomez]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

so when they turn out to be terrorists and blow the plane up, the victim's families will sue the shit out of the airlines

they were screened and screened again - it is the job of the airline to ensure flight safety, not the passengers through democratic tyranny

if the passengers do not feel safe they have the choice to not fly, simple as that

it is in no interest of the airline to fly when they are in any doubt of the safety of the aircraft because as you said, they will lose their ass

[SpicyMcVoodoo]

This sort of stuff is inevitable in the UK. It's only going to happen more. They recently had muslim fanatics people blow up buses in London, and now they just found out the same people tried to crash 10 planes. Apparently there are quite a few islamic terrorists there. It would be totally defiant of human nature for British people to carry on and pretent like they're not aware muslims within are trying to kill people. It's a very bad situation to be in.

It's also worth noting that this isn't the same type of racism that had blacks sit in the backs of buses in the US. Blacks weren't blowing up buses and crashing planes back then. People in the UK are genuinely fearing for their lives, and with good reason, whereas I think the KKK and white racists in the South just wanted to maintain the social strata of the slavery days.

[PetriW]

This is just disgusting and really shows what the fear mongering results in. Sadly I don't see anything being done about it, it's easier to beat the racial fears drum than the love and unity one.

There are perfect explanations for all of it:
Looking asian: cool, someone with another racial heritage is traveling, you are traveling too, people travel.
Speaking arabic: quite a lot of people speak this language... If they all decided to be terrorist bombers we wouldn't really be all that happy. :P
Hot clothing: they may come from a warmer country, if you're used to live in a 30 degree celsius enviroment then you'll feel cold at 20 degrees. (lol at israelis wearing winter clothing when it's 18 degrees...)

[kinggovernor]

Originally Posted by thomez

they were screened and screened again - it is the job of the airline to ensure flight safety, not the passengers through democratic tyranny

if the passengers do not feel safe they have the choice to not fly, simple as that

it is in no interest of the airline to fly when they are in any doubt of the safety of the aircraft because as you said, they will lose their ass

so because of the screening process the airline is guaranteeing that the flight will be safe, and thus will be responible if a terrorist attack happens

[thomez]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

so because of the screening process the airline is guaranteeing that the flight will be safe, and thus will be responible if a terrorist attack happens

yes, it is their job to ensure flight security because it is by far in their best interest to do so - the cost of life/plane/investigation/money is so great that they have as great an interest in flight safety as a customer

[motivez]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

I don't see what this has to do with racism, though. It's about odd, out of place behavior. If I saw two white guys speaking arabic to each other, wearing large jackets despite the heat, I'd also think something was going on. I doubt I'd demand they leave the plane, but I'd certainly think something was suspicious.

Uh, it has everything to do with racism because they weren't judged based on being someone who was traveling, they were being judged based on the color of their skin and the fact that they spoke a foreign language

If I check my watch, I'm impatient. If an Arab or Asian does it, he must be checking his bomb timer..

[motivez]

Originally Posted by Diesel66

Who said it was arabic ?

The passengers thought it "sounded like Arabic"

[motivez]

Originally Posted by kinggovernor

so because of the screening process the airline is guaranteeing that the flight will be safe, and thus will be responible if a terrorist attack happens

They removed the two people from the plane rather than

A) Putting them through security again and allowing them to continue on the flight

B) Letting people who didn't want to fly because they're racist pricks get off the plane and find other means of travel

[motivez]

Originally Posted by SpicyMcVoodoo

It's also worth noting that this isn't the same type of racism that had blacks sit in the backs of buses in the US. Blacks weren't blowing up buses and crashing planes back then. People in the UK are genuinely fearing for their lives, and with good reason, whereas I think the KKK and white racists in the South just wanted to maintain the social strata of the slavery days.

So are you suggesting that it's somehow more acceptable to be racist and irrationally fearful of someone who looks different simply because some other people with the same color skin do bad things?

Should we throw someone off a plane because we think they're a pedophile because they happen to speak english and have white skin like John Karr?

How about a black man because they're wearing 'gangsterish' clothes? They might try to steal wallets mid flight