Delta Airlines faces sharp backlash over controversial Palestine post from official X account
America's oldest airline has infuriated both supporters and opponents of Israel with its cack-handed response to a complaint about staff wearing Palestinian flag lapel badges.
Delta's official X account sympathized with a tweet from a passenger on Tuesday that complained about attendants wearing a 'Hamas badge' and said they were right to be 'terrified'.
On Wednesday it deleted its response, demoted the person who wrote the tweet, and said the two staff members were being offered support over a message that was 'not in line with our values'.
Then on Thursday it announced a blanket ban on staff members wearing any flags other than the American flag from July 15.
'Whether this racist post on Delta's X account was approved or unauthorized, Delta must apologize and take steps to educate its employees about this type of dangerous anti-Palestinian racism,' said Edward Ahmed Mitchell from the Counsel on American-Islamic Relations.
The airline faced a storm of criticism after its social media account said a passenger was entitled to feel 'terrified' at the sight of flight attendants wearing Palestinian flag pins
'Bigotry against Palestinian-Americans is absolutely out of control in workplaces and at schools — and it must stop.'
The row erupted on Tuesday when the X account 'iliketeslas' posted photos of two attendants on different Delta flights wearing the pins on their uniforms, and suggested they made him feel unsafe.
'Since 2001 we take our shoes off in every airport because a terrorist attack in US soil,' he wrote. 'Now imagine getting into a Delta flight and seeing workers with Hamas badges in the air. What do you do?'
'I hear you as I'd be terrified as well, personally,' The airline tweeted in response.
'Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take it lightly when our policy is not being followed.'
The post sparked a furious backlash of protest against equating the Palestinian flag with that of the Hamas terror organization and pledges to boycott the Atlanta based carrier.
'What's the Palestinians got to do with 9/11?' demanded one X user. 'Isn't the whole screenshot the perfect encapsulation of real racism and Islamophobia? Pathetic really. Only in America.'
'These airlines won't learn until you stop giving them business @Delta #BoycottDelta,' added Dr Omar Suleiman, the president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research.
The Counsel on American-Islamic Relations was among those demanding an apology as calls grew for a boycott of the Atlanta-based airline
One of the attendants pictured appeared defiant in spite of the airline's sudden ban on flags
But they were denounced by others for allowing staff to flaunt their allegiances while Israel is at war.
'It's repulsive and completely out of place!' wrote one.
'Disney got hurt for going woke, to say nothing of A.B, we should all do the same to Delta!'
In a statement to NBC the airline said it 'removed a mistakenly posted comment on X Wednesday because it was not in line with our values and our mission to connect the world'.
'The team member responsible for the post has been counseled and no longer supports Delta's social channels. We apologize for this error.'
JetBlue banned its staff from wearing political pins in May after a Jewish passenger was accused of 'causing a disturbance' on a flight to Las Vegas.
Paul Faust, 54, said he quietly made a complaint about the pin to a supervisor on the plane – but when he landed a uniformed official demanded to see his ID, called the police – and then then canceled his return flight.
The Parkland, Florida-based telecoms entrepreneur told DailyMail.com that he wasn't happy seeing the flag, but didn't want to cause trouble so kept quiet about it – reasoning that he had something equivalent: a visible Jewish tattoo.
But he said that when the crew member put on an apron for serving drinks and moved the Palestine pin on top so it still showed, he took it as a deliberate provocation.
'I walked up to the front and said to the lead attendant, 'I just wanna tell you I'm a frequent flier, and it was upsetting that she wore that, and that she only changed that pin to the front of the apron, not the others,' he explained.
'I went back to my seat. I said nothing to this flight attendant the entire flight.'
But he said he was hauled aside at the end of the flight by staff who threatened to call the police on him, and canceled his flight home without telling him the following day.
In December last year an American Airlines flight attendant reportedly ordered a passenger to remove a pro-Palestinian sweatshirt before a flight from New York to Phoenix or else face law enforcement.
Rumors swept X on Thursday that Delta had sacked the staff members pictured wearing Palestinian badges but the airline denied it, adding: 'We're in touch with the flight attendants to offer support'.
Paul Faust, pictured with fellow passenger Rachelle Almagor accused JetBlue of anti-Semitism in May after claiming he had the police called on him for a complaint about a Palestinian pin
Faust, who is Jewish, told DailyMail.com he was offended to see a female flight attendant - who has not been identified – flaunting a Palestinian flag pin on her uniform during the flight
'However Delta is shifting its pin allowance policy effective July 15.
'Beginning then, only US flags will be permitted to be worn on uniforms. Previously, pins representing countries/nationalities of the world had been permitted.
'We are taking this step to help ensure a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all.
'We are proud of our diverse base of employees and customers and the foundation of our brand, which is to connect the world and provide a premium experience.'
One of the attendants posting on Instagram under the handle AJhooray wrote it had been an 'overwhelming few days but I'm grateful for all the love and support'.
'See you in the skies!' he added.
