First, I've watched the video with the family and they are very gracious in their approach to the situation. The airline does seem to be taking a VERY hard line about not letting them board even AFTER they had been cleared. The pilot also has final say as to who gets on--so that could be what's going on here: a group of pilots don't want a large group of suspects like this on their plane (it wasn't just one person). Doesn't make it right, but I wonder if the pilots are the ones who took the hard line.

Watch the video:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/01/family.grounded/#cnnSTCVideo

Here is a still image of these two very gracious individuals and as you can see if nine folks come on a plane who are in their 30's and Muslim it's going to raise a LOT of flags. If you took these two photos and mixed them with a dozen photos of the 9/11 hijackers you would not be able to make a decision as to who is who--that's what the police and airlines have to deal with: look for someone like this who is talking about these these subjects. That's what happened.

http://img.skitch.com/20090102-d9sxfybjhrd91xuranrwutc3np.png

The TSA has been training folks in profiling passengers based on behavior, something the safest airline in the world, El Al in Israel, has been doing for years. So, this type of thing will probably increase as $10 an hour security guards with no college degrees start doing profiling. Can't wait for the person who screams at you to take off your shoes to start asking where you're going and why... ah the joys of living in a military state.


If anyone brings up anything about safety, bombs, etc. in line at the airport they have basically opted in to be questioned. If you're at a political rally and you're next to a cop and you start talking about assassination attempts you're going to be detained and questioned.

Clearly there was a massive misunderstanding as some folks here "safest place to be on a plane" as nine middle eastern folks walk by--anyone would concerned.

Just imagine if this was a terrorist plot and the security people overheard them talking about security and they let them through? People would be rightfully furious with TSA: "you let a family of people talking about security--in the the security line--on the plane? You didn't even detain them?"


Also, there have been reports of terrorists bringing kids on planes as decoys to get hijackers on. The kids don't take away from the profiling--they might increase it.

Finally, demographically profiling people is a horrible reality of police work.

Crimes are committed by young males typically, so cops stop them more often. People don't complain about that, but they do complain when race comes into it--which is understandable but probably not realistic. If a plane is getting hijacked at this moment in history, Muslims are going to be statistically higher on the suspect list. Doesn't mean you don't stop everyone, but it does mean that if you have someone from Saudi Arabia, who his male, angry, with a one-way ticket, paid for in cash and who doesn't have a consistent story you might want to take them aside.


They can sue, but I don't think they will win but they would get a settlement.

AirTran should apologize to them, let them know it is not personal, a terrible misunderstanding and then give them nine first class passes a year for life. The CEO of the company should do this personally at a press conference or by visiting their home with a gift basket. He should also fly with them on their next flight... board the plane with them and get to know them.

If I was the CEO of the company that is exactly what I would do--take the darkest moment and make it the brightest.

That would be amazing PR and help heal the scar of it all. We're all Americans and we should stand together when there are misunderstandings like this.

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