Shah Anand, a Sikh, accompanied by his friends, a Bangladeshi Muslim, an Arab Muslim and a fellow Faimul Alam, were on an American Airlines flight 44718, flying from Toronto to New York, last month.

They have filed a 9 million dollar lawsuit against the airline which asked them to deboard on a baseless ground that the pilot was uncomfortable because of their presence.



According to the lawsuit filed by the Brooklyn federal court, the Bangladeshi Muslim and Arab Muslim were identified only with their initials W.H and M.K. When Anand and Alam switched seats with W.H and M.K, a flight attendant came by and asked W.H to get off the plane.

When they questioned the flight crew on why they were asked to deboard, all they told them was to exit 'peacefully' and 'demanded' they return to the gate to await further directions.

Passengers surrounding Alam and Anand started making racist comments and clutching their children "as if something was going to happen," the suit charges.

When the group asked the agent whether their appearance had contributed to their removal, 'being that they are dark-skinned and had beards,' the agent responded their appearance 'did not help,' the lawsuit said.

The 4 men are seeking damages, alleging the airline 'disgracefully engaged in the discrimination based on their perceived race, colour, ethnicity, alienage and/or national origin,' the lawsuit reads.

Ridiculous, is the word.



