Passengers aboard an El Al flight from New York's JFK to Israel caused a delay after hundreds of ultra-Orthodox Jews demanded that other passengers trade places before takeoff, saying they cannot sit next to women.

On Tuesday evening, just before the start of the Jewish New Year, thousands of Israeli and Jewish passengers were preparing to fly to the Holy Land, including scores of ultra-Orthodox Jews.



On one El Al flight that carrying a large group religious Jews prior to Rosh Hashanah, travelers refused to sit next to other female passengers prior to the takeoff.

Not going anywhere: The Captain said that he was unable to takeoff until everyone on board was seated and a group of religious Jews refused to take a seat until they were not sitting next to other female passengers

The tactic not only delayed the flight, but also went onto cause chaos on board.

'People stood in the aisles and refused to go forward,' said Amit Ben-Natan, a passenger who was on board the plane.

'Although everyone had tickets with seat numbers that they purchased in advance, they asked us to trade seats with them, and even offered to pay money, since they cannot sit next to a woman. It was obvious that the plane wouldn't take off as long as they keep standing in the aisles.'

Passengers claimed that despite the El Al flight crew informed travelers that they did not have to agree to switch, the plane's captain announced the flight would not be going anywhere until everyone was seated.

'It was an 11-hour long nightmare,' one of the passengers said.

The group of Ultra-Orthodox Jews wanted the plane to be gender segregated because of religious beliefs

Haredim regard themselves as the most authentic custodians of Jewish religious law and tradition which, in their opinion, is binding and unchangeable. They consider all other expressions of Judaism, including Modern Orthodoxy, as deviations from God's laws

Galit, another traveler on the flight, said the ultra-orthodox passengers suggested she and her spouse split up to better accommodate their desired seating arrangements: 'Why should I agree to switch places?' she said with anger to Shalom Life.

After she refused, the unltra-Orthodox man known as Haredim ended up swapping with her after he continued to stand in the aisle as soon as the plane had taken off.

Many passengers have reported that after takeoff a large portion of the travelers took to the aisles to pray which causing them to become crowded and flight attendants unable to serve drinks or distribute meals.

WHO ARE THE HAREDIM? Haredi Jews are a stream of Orthodox Jews characterized by their rejection of mainstream secular culture.

Haredim regard themselves as the most religiously authentic group of Jews and although this claim is contested by other streams of Judaism, it is a perception which is often held in wider Jewish and non-Jewish society. Advertisement

'I went to the bathroom and it was a mission impossible, the noise was endless,' Galit said.

El Al has responded to the claims and promised to to look into the issue.

'El Al does everything it can to give its passengers the best possible service year-round. Our crews on the ground and in the air are doing the best they can to address the needs and requests of all our travelers while trying not to fall behind schedule