Source: Independent

By Rachael Revesz New York

A Muslim couple who accused Delta Air Lines of Islamophobia for throwing them off a flight have spoken of their ordeal for the first time.

They said they were singled out because flight crew had noticed them “sweating” and saying the word “Allah”, which they denied.

Faisal Ali and Nazia Ali were waiting for about 45 minutes on a Delta Air Lines flight in Paris to fly back to Cincinnati, Ohio when a Delta employee asked the couple to exit the aircraft as he needed to ask them questions.

“We asked if we should get our stuff and he said, ‘Yes, take all of your stuff as you won’t be on that flight’,” Ms Ali told The Independent. “That was really alarming.”

A French police officer was waiting outside the gate.

“I was scared because it looked like some random guy was taking pictures of our passports on his personal phone,” she said.

After interrogating them about their stay in Paris – the couple had been enjoying a brief holiday in the capital city for their 10th wedding anniversary – the officer said he had no problem with them and there was nothing else he could ask the couple.

The Delta employee then explained that the pilot had decided to ask them to leave as one of the crew members had felt “uncomfortable” in their presence, as the crew member had reportedly seen Mr Ali hide his phone as they walked by, and that Mr Ali had been sweating and saying “Allah”.

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