A lawsuit was filed in federal court in Manhattan by 57 Jewish and Israeli travelers, accusing United Airlines of antisemitic behavior after their flight to Tel Aviv in April 2023 was unexpectedly redirected back to Newark. The plaintiffs claim the airline had no valid justification for the decision and that they were collectively mistreated.
The incident took place on April 22, falling between Holocaust Remembrance Day and Israeli Independence Day. According to the legal filing, the chain of events began when a passenger briefly occupied an empty crew seat while waiting for the bathroom. The flight crew is said to have responded harshly, setting off a confrontation that ended with the plane turning around mid-flight. Witnesses reported that crew members warned the flight would be rerouted if the man didn’t move, but passengers thought the threat was idle. “No one explained what was happening,” said Shlomit, a passenger on board. “We just saw the flight path shift on the screen. When we landed, the police were already waiting.”
After the plane returned to Newark, the passenger at the center of the controversy was taken into custody but was subsequently released. Jeff Hunt, another passenger, shared footage online showing the man walking calmly through the aisle, telling his side of the story. Numerous travelers were left waiting for hours to receive hotel accommodations from United, and some reported never receiving any.
The lawsuit accuses United personnel of “incompetence, racism and discriminatory treatment of Jewish passengers,” and alleges the airline punished the entire group over what amounted to a minor incident. One man claimed that when he asked for help rebooking while wearing a kippah, a crew member told him, “Go ask your people.” The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Yoram Nachimovsky, are pursuing financial compensation and are calling for the airline to implement mandatory anti-bias education for its staff.
Responding to the accusations, United Airlines issued a firm denial in a statement to Ynet. “We have reviewed the incident, and the plaintiffs’ claims are meritless. One passenger who was a safety and security risk caused the flight to return to Newark. Our crew put safety first and exhibited professionalism in managing this matter, and we will vigorously defend against these false allegations.”
{Matzav.com}