U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) today called on the United States Department of Transportation to launch an investigation into whether Saudi Arabian Airlines is violating federal anti-discrimination laws.
A story published in Monday’s New York Post revealed that the Jeddah-based airline, which operates 151 flights per week out of New York City and Washington, D.C., is refusing to allow Israeli passport holders to purchase airline tickets for flights originating in the United States, regardless of whether or not the final destination is a country with discriminatory entry requirements. While Saudi Arabia prohibits Israeli citizens from entering their country, questions remain over whether the airline can enforce this policy in the United States.
“Federal law protects people in this country who wish to travel by air from discrimination from domestic and foreign air carriers on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry,” the senators said. “While we find this practice completely reprehensible in any country, we believe the fact that it is happening here in the United States constitutes a violation of federal law. We’re asking the Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over airlines operating in the United States, to open an immediate investigation into the matter.”
Full text of the senators’ letter:
The Honorable Anthony Foxx
Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary Foxx,
We write today to ask that the Department of Transportation conduct an immediate investigation of Saudi Arabian Airlines, which recent reports suggest may be in violation of federal anti-discrimination law.
A story published in Monday’s New York Post revealed that the Jeddah-based airline, which operates 151 flights per week out of John F. Kennedy International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, is refusing to allow Israeli citizens to purchase airline tickets for flights originating in the United States. We believe this to be a violation of the Airport and Highway Improvement Act, which prohibits domestic and foreign air carriers from subjecting a person in air transportation to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry.
When a staff member from the office of the New York City Public Advocate called Saudi Arabian Airlines to attempt to purchase a ticket from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York to Mumbai, India and identified himself as an Israeli passport holder, the staff member was told he could not travel on the Saudi airline with an Israeli passport.
We represent many constituents in our respective states who either are Israeli-Americans themselves, or who have friends and relatives with Israeli passports, whose right to travel is limited by this discriminatory policy. They should not be denied the right to travel on any airline solely because of their national origin, and they do not deserve to be treated like second class citizens.
While we find this practice completely reprehensible in any country, we believe the fact that it is happening here in the United States constitutes a violation of federal law.
We ask that the Department of Transportation open an immediate investigation into the matter.
Sincerely,
Christopher S. Murphy
United States Senator
Charles E. Schumer
United States Senator
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5 Responses
Given that Saudi Arabia is at war with Israel, meaning they can legally hold any Israeli they find “for the duration”, it does seem reasonable. There really isn’t a law prohibiting foreign companies from doing business with enemy aliens. US companies do the same thing (can you imagine a Taliban buying a tickets on on American airplane).
I am so happy to see Chuck U has nothing better to do with his pitiful life. Too bad he is, as always, completely farmished.
I believe that number of 151 flights a week included all the code share they have with the SkyTeam Alliance (Delta is the main USA carrier for SkyTeam). Chuck U would, in theory, be arguing against a Delta flight from Philly to Detroit if there was a codeshare on that flight. What he also obviously doesn’t know (or doesn’t care because it doesn’t fit his agenda) is that a typical domestic flight out of a major international hub such as JFK, EWR, ORD, MSP, LAX, and SFO to name a few, carry MANY codeshare flight numbers to a specific flight!!!
So his claim that they operate 151 flights a week out of USA airports is probably factually incorrect.
That being said, unlike socialist liberal democrats like Chuck U Schumer & Senator Murphy, I would rather know who my enemies are so I could be prepared. If they don’t want our money, gezunta hayt! I will be more than happy to spend it elsewhere.
#1: Could you please cite a reference for your assertion that Saudi Arabia is legally (i.e., formally declared) at war with Israel?
Mark,
You can believe what you want, but facts are generally pretty easy to check up. The number 151 comes from the airlines own timetable (it’s on their website, not that you would think to go there to actually know what you were talking about), and refers not to codeshares, but to flights from New York and DC which connect to other countries through Saudi Arabia, like the one to Mumbai the article specifically mentions. Perhaps basic reading comprehension is one of those socialist liberal things you’re always getting worked up about.
Mark Levin is correct. The actual number of Saudi Airlines flights from JFK and DC are only 14 (daily or 7 flights a week). However, this is shallow pandering by politicians who only want to draw attention to themselves during elections. If they had more courage, they should work for the US to stop buying oil and petrochemicals from Saudi Arabia and stop exporting arms and sophisticated aerospace technology to that country. They won’t because then they would have to come up against the defense contractors and lobbyists who fund their election campaigns. What a sham.