A Frum woman was thrown off a Delta flight on Wednesday for not being compliant with mask-wearing. But the passenger tells YWN that she was 100% compliant, and thinks she was the victim of blatant anti-Semitism.
The woman – who wishes to remain anonymous at this point – tells YWN her experience as follows:
“I was on Delta Flight 5610 from Chicago O’Hare to JFK Airport on Wednesday. I had my siddur open and was praying. The flight attendant, Erica Green, angrily pushed my siddur down and told me to pull up my mask to comply with guidelines. My mask was up but she walked away without allowing me to show her. I brushed it off assuming she didn’t see me correctly.
She came back with another flight attendant and they both got extremely angry at me. I was scared because I was doing nothing wrong. They knocked my siddur and told me I wasn’t being compliant, even though the other passengers could see I was fully compliant, and just praying. They said if I wasn’t going to be compliant, to tell them now. Some Frum men tried to help but the flight attendant did not allow them to speak.
When she finally stopped yelling at me I said “thank you for telling me, what’s your name?”
She swung around and a minute later the pilot announced we were turning the plane around to drop off a passenger who was non compliant. A woman named Kim Ford came on to the plane and told me that I was being non compliant and that if I did not get off the plane and continued speaking I would have a lifetime ban from flying Delta and security would drag take me off the plane. She said other passengers do not feel safe and the pilot did not feel comfortable having me on board. I was calm but scared, so I asked to speak with the pilot. She said I can speak with them when I get off the plane. Two pilots met me and I tried to explain that I was fully compliant and have witnesses. The flight attendant Erica Green cut me off and did not allow me to speak. I was crying and upset and the pilots seemed confused. Kim Ford said that if I calm down and don’t speak she would rebook me to NY on a different flight, but if I “keep this up” I would have a lifetime ban from Delta and be escorted out of the terminal.
I was holding my siddur the entire time.
As Kim took me back up the plane ramp the flight attendant Erica Green said “you and prayer book can get off”.
YWN has reached out to Delta for a response to the allegations, and received no response when publishing this article.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
39 Responses
She should sue both Delta and the flight attendants personally. Probably can find a lawyer to take the case pro-bono.
If they are allowed to get away with this it will send a clear message they can harass Orthodox Jews with impunity.
The video is only audio, you can only hear her side of the conversation and importantly it only starts after she was ordered off the flight. It doesn’t help in understanding who was correct or what actually occurred.
Delta Airlines is one of the most despicably airlines, and just about the only company I shall never fly. They have been rude to me beyond belief in the past, in ways no other airlines have.
Delta should be banned for life from flying to Israel.
Meanwhile Erica Green ימח שמה וזכרונה must be prosecuted for violation of 1st amendment & the passenger’s civil rights, a very serious federal offense.
seeing as there are no tweets posted, there will not be a significant backlash against the airline, and therefore this behavior by this flight attendant will go unpunished by the airline.
There is more to the story.
I actually flew with Delta this week and they were really being very rude and threatening about wearing a mask.. They threatened the person sitting right in front of that this was his 3rd warning or else… even though he was in middle of eating which is why he had his mask off.. I fly every week for work usually on United which has the same policy but is alot more relaxed and friendly about it.
The young woman admitted that her mask,”fell down” for a minute
Guilty of improperly covering mouth and nose with a mask
Have a nice flight
Why didn’t anyone video clip it for proof?
Why is there no picture showing her wearing a face mask?
This proves the old adage that Anti Semitism is not about hatred towards Jews. It’s about hatred towards G-d.
That flight attendant and Delta will be sued for violating her civil rights.
May we witness the day when this חושך is reversed and the רשעים are vanquished.
Very strange. I fly (or should I say flew) Delta very frequently and I’ve never seen ANY evidence of antisemitic behavior by any of their flight crews (in fact quite to the contrary). Even in these challenging times, I very much doubt that flight attendants would randomly decide to delay a flight (which makes a lot more work for themselves) by falsely accusing a woman who was “in full compliance” with the mask requirement and falsely accuse her of violating the rules, especially if there are 100+ witnesses who would contradict their false accusations. Very strange story and hard for anyone to corroborate since she decided to remain anonymous.
Delta has had a record of being anti Semitic in the past
I wasn’t there so I can’t judge. But I did fly an international flight to and from Israel this past week and the airline personnel are very concerned about covid. So if you fly, make a kiddush Hshem by wearing a mask securely and visibly over mouth and nose without shtick. Its upsetting to them to see the masks worn halfmast and half measure.
We have to remember that Mashiach did not come yet.
We are still in Galus.
We have to try our best to get along with the non Jewish people.
I’m sure there’s more to the story
I feel very bad for this woman BUT, why didn’t she Video record on the plane and why didn’t the other FRUM men record the incident???
There is no excuse for stupidity, because it not only hurts the victim but it also allows the EVIL anti semites to get away with it and do it again to someone else.
She was courteous and controlled the entire time. She did not let passion or emotions get the best of her. THIS is how to react during situations like this. A real Kiddush Hashem
If her story turns out to be correct, then a mass protest /boycott should be set up by those that are social media savie. A protest with online posting should be started by Frum Yidden.
Moshiach does not have a mask, I guess we’ll have to wait until this whole thing passes. Oh Well. ACHAKEH LO BCOL YOM SHEYUVO.
The audio is clear that she admitted to not covering her face properly with her mask and she wanted a new mask but didn’t ask for one
This was another easily avoidable problem that the owner should have never allowed to happen.
Sorry, but self inflicted issues like this don’t deserve sympathy and, on the contrary, create chillul Hashem. YWN …by posting this you give the wrong impression where you should be helping to inform the public how to behave in public
This is disgusting- these flight attendants should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is very clear from the even limited audio that we can hear, that there was no need to kick her off the plane in that manner. Even if she wasn’t wearing her mask 100% correctly initially, it’s very clear from what we can hear that she was not being combative or aggressive. She was very willing to comply (at least from when the video started), and was calm and polite throughout. There is no reason to kick someone off a flight who is willing to cooperate, with out any discussion. No reason at all, except if you count pure nastiness and anti-semitism as a reason. People! Stand up for one of our own sisters before standing up for nasty, horrible people.
This could be avoided if the the person davened at the airport prior to boarding the plane or after the plane landed.
I don’t know the facts but O’Hare is a very busy airport if the plane couldn’t take off on time the pilot has to notify traffic control and get a different time slot, meantime the engines are running using up fuel which cost money. I don’t think the pilot would do it for something minor. Likewise the flight crew are paid by the trip not by the hour and a delay takeing off will costing them time.
There is also the option of flying private as opposed to commercial. It’s more expensive than first class but you avoid the hassle. Or you can take a car bus or train, It will take you longer but it’s alot cheaper.
Aint this obvious is right if you listen to the recording. Why wasn’t that written in your report? Rules are rules and a yid has to be doubly careful to comply!
Sounds like fake news. No airline is looking for a lawsuit. Need to have proof that she was in fact wearing her mask properly.
why do we have create scene wherever we go?
would you feel comfortable in a plane if a Muslim would take out his carpet and pray? be honest!!!
if the steward would ask the Muslim to seat tight and pray in his seat; would you also say that they’re abusing?
we have the right to prayers; we should do it respectfully (sitting in your seat, like you’d want any other religious person do)
Not commenting on what happened here however flight attendants have become crazier and crazier over the years. They are acting like judge, jury, and executioner.
So many of them, more than in the past, need a major attitude adjustment or another job.
A few weeks ago I flew with Delta from NY to Tel Aviv. Their service is despicable!
Constantly threatening passengers they will be put on a ‘no fly list’ if their mask is not perfectly worn. I was scared to close my eyes bec if my mask would move out of place they would threaten me too.
The air on a plane is stuffy and hard to breathe WITH OUT a mask, so forcing pple to wear a mask for 10 hours with out small breaks as least for the nose is quite inhuman.
I heard other airlines such as United and elal are much more understanding.
I recommend not flying Delta.
@batseven +100 The comments of these people rushing throw a Jew under the bus to be melamed zchus on anti-semites are beyond repulsive.
I won’t spend the 4+ minutes to listen to this audio. But if it is true that Erica Green said “you and your prayerbook can get off” then they should be seriously taken to task for that. This Green nutcase should lose her job with no pay or benefits. Nothing provides an excuse to treat someone like that, period. This is still the USA.
Chanahlah: No one is throwing anyone under a bus. Nor have you provided any evidence that the flight attendants were acting in an anti-semitic manner Since the mask requirement went into effect, there have been nearly 300 reported episodes of individuals being removed from aircraft for violating the mask requirement and this is the first time anyone has even alleged that there was anti-Semitic intent. The flight crews are working under extremely difficult conditions and ANYONE pushing back on the mask requirements should be dragged off the planes and barred from flying. Let them charter their own aircraft and behave as they wish (assuming the charter firms won’t also throw them off if they insist on jeopardizing their flight crews).
What happens on a flight over the Atlantic Ocean 30,000 feet high, if someone decides to lower their mask?
What happens on a flight over the Atlantic Ocean 30,000 feet high, if someone decides to lower their mask?
What happens in the same situation if someone tries to force his way into the cockpit?
Git Meshige: They are allowed to lower their masks for meals and drinks. Otherwise, they are politely escorted to the rear of the plane and pushed out the cargo door.
To Git Meshige:
Taking off the masks after we were in the air happened on my return flight from London to Tel Aviv – and to make it worse, the perpetrators were frum Yidden. What a chilul Hashem.
What happened was, after repeated personal appeals and announcements, the crew compiled a list that will probably end up with these idiots banned for life on EasyJet. And from listening to their discussion, I suspect these lists are sent to other airlines as well.
We all hate these masks – yes, it is hard to breathe outside, let alone on a full plane. Nevertheless, if that’s the rule, that’s the rule. I’m sure a lot of the passengers are heavy smokers, but they don’t light up on a plane. They don’t like this rule, but they don’t have to: they just have to obey. Same with masks.
I’m curious as to why the airlines enforce the mask rule but not social distancing (keeping every other seat empty)
I’ve flown many times in the past 6 months with different airlines, all were super strict about masks, yet the plane was as pushy as ever
If someone is quietly sleeping in their seat, why do they need to wear a mask? and if every other seat would be empty it would be even safer..
I would not want to be on a plane full of many of these judgmental Jews commenting here, blaming the Jew right away…I have been harrassed because I’m a Jew, I have been singled out even with wearing my mask properly. To see Jews jumping to the defense of anti-Semites all the time is simply mind-boggling. At times like this I do not wonder how the Nazis got away with murder.
Ledy had a phone capable of recording it seems.
No one seemed to have filmed the altercation, which I find strange in todays day and age. Your average Joe can’t tell a shaitel from the real thing so I doubt people more than 2 rows away knew of her religion
According to FlightRadar24 and Flightaware, this flight number was previously assigned to Columbus-Detroit and was reassigned to ORD-JFK 12/1 last week. All flights proceeded to JFK with no diversions noted.
I doubt Delta monitors YWN on a regular basis. The complainant did not indicate that a formal report was filed with Delta or the FAA since this took place on board an aircraft.
Something is not adding up for me at least
Dont be intimated to pull out ur phone and video the scene; it makes those behaving in this despicable way intimated and it gives you more evidence. You have plenty of witnesses, why not sue? Maybe you’ll get something out of it…and oh well if less people fly delta because of this, they shouldn’t tolerate this behavior.