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PRESS RELEASE February 9, 2004
AMV denounces behavior of American Airlines pilot
The American Muslim Voice denounced the behavior of the Christian pilot of the American Airlines who called the non-Christian passengers as crazy.
According to the BBC, the “American Airlines pilot terrified passengers on his flight when he asked Christians to identify themselves and went on to call non-Christians "crazy".” The incident happened on the American Airlines February 6 flight from Los Angeles to New York.
The AMV statement reads:
Under the current political atmosphere we are sure that if this pilot happened to be a Muslim the outcome would have been very different. The pilot would have been arrested upon arrival at the destination and the FBI would be waiting for questioning.
We call for a thorough investigation of all such unethical suspicious behavior regardless of ethnicity or belief and appropriate punishment for those responsible.
We do sympathize with the passengers who were terrified by the American Airlines pilot.
BBC Report about the American Airlines Pilot
Christian question alarms flight
An American Airlines pilot terrified passengers on his flight when he asked Christians to identify themselves and went on to call non-Christians "crazy".
Some passengers on the flight from Los Angeles to New York were so worried they tried to call relatives on their mobile phones.
The pilot, whose name was not released, asked Christians on Friday's flight to raise their hands.
He then suggested non-Christians talk to the Christians about their faith.
He went on to say that "everyone who doesn't have their hand raised is crazy", passenger Amanda Nelligan told CBS news.
"He continued to say, 'Well, you have a choice: you can make this trip worthwhile, or you can sit back, read a book and watch the movie'," she said.
The pilot also told passengers he would be available for discussion at the end of the flight.
'Bizarre'
Ms Nelligan said passengers had thought the pilot's behavior was "bizarre" and wondered whether his comments were a threat.
Flight attendants notified ground control.
American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner said the incident was being investigated.
"It falls along the lines of a personal level of sharing that may not be appropriate for one of our employees to do while on the job," he added.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3472265.stm
American Airlines apologizes for Christianity remarks
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