Newlyweds claim they were booted off flight because they are Muslim

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By VT

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A newlywed couple has claimed that they were removed from a Jetstar flight prior to take off because they are Muslim.

The incident took place in Bali where Sarah and Muhammed Aslan were married in front of a number of guests, who were also removed from the flight they were scheduled to take returning home to Melbourne.

To see the subsequent altercation, check out the video below: 
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/dCN1U6W2-dkXnENEs.mp4||dCN1U6W2]]

It all began when wedding guest Mike Mahmoud got into an argument with a member of staff about the in-flight entertainment system, Nine News reported.

"Is it the beard? It feels like it might be," he said, implying that he was being treated differently because of his faith.

Other passengers allegedly gasped in response to his remark, but he and the other members of the group said it was justified. "I really truly don't believe I was arrogant, I just wanted to get home," Mahmoud said.

When the group was removed from the plane, Alsan said: "I didn't do anything. I don't need you to speak to me like this, do you understand? Where's the lady that started this s**t before? This is very racist."

In a subsequent interview with Nine News, he said: "Personally, it did feel like we were being attacked for looking ethnic and being Muslim. That's why I started crying. I'm like, I just want to go home, I don't to be here anymore."

The group was eventually flown home on a different flight a day later at no extra cost.

Selim Tutunca, another member of the group, said that they were abused on the plane. On the Jetstar Australia Facebook page, he wrote:

"We were racially, verbally and physically assaulted by both Jetstar crew members and Bali airport officials. We have footage of all of this. We were kicked off the flight even though we hadn't even spoke a single word to the crew members."

Related - Couple caught 'joining the mile high club' during flight:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/4Bmt61BT-sKUnNGKf.mp4||4Bmt61BT]]

Tutunca continued that he and his two children, aged seven and three, were left stranded as a result of the incident and forced to sleep in a terminal.

"We have been waiting for over four hours and my children are sleeping on benches at the airport," he said. According to Tutunca, the ordeal meant his children "were put through hell."

However, contrary to what the group claimed, other passengers on the plane said that they were being disruptive.

"The plane was taxing to the runway when the group started showing signs of 'aggression'," a passenger claimed. "This wasn't tolerated at all by the cabin crew and the pilot took us back to where we board the plane... he said we were waiting on security to come and remove the family. One young man, in particular, was yelling out, saying 'you are f**ked Jetstar'."

A Jetstar spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: "Whilst taxiing to the runway a number of customers became disruptive and failed to follow crew instructions.

"The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and we do not tolerate any kind of disruptive or abusive behavior.

"We take these allegations extremely seriously and are investigating the matter, however, our crew disputes the claims made by these passengers."

Newlyweds claim they were booted off flight because they are Muslim

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

A newlywed couple has claimed that they were removed from a Jetstar flight prior to take off because they are Muslim.

The incident took place in Bali where Sarah and Muhammed Aslan were married in front of a number of guests, who were also removed from the flight they were scheduled to take returning home to Melbourne.

To see the subsequent altercation, check out the video below: 
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/dCN1U6W2-dkXnENEs.mp4||dCN1U6W2]]

It all began when wedding guest Mike Mahmoud got into an argument with a member of staff about the in-flight entertainment system, Nine News reported.

"Is it the beard? It feels like it might be," he said, implying that he was being treated differently because of his faith.

Other passengers allegedly gasped in response to his remark, but he and the other members of the group said it was justified. "I really truly don't believe I was arrogant, I just wanted to get home," Mahmoud said.

When the group was removed from the plane, Alsan said: "I didn't do anything. I don't need you to speak to me like this, do you understand? Where's the lady that started this s**t before? This is very racist."

In a subsequent interview with Nine News, he said: "Personally, it did feel like we were being attacked for looking ethnic and being Muslim. That's why I started crying. I'm like, I just want to go home, I don't to be here anymore."

The group was eventually flown home on a different flight a day later at no extra cost.

Selim Tutunca, another member of the group, said that they were abused on the plane. On the Jetstar Australia Facebook page, he wrote:

"We were racially, verbally and physically assaulted by both Jetstar crew members and Bali airport officials. We have footage of all of this. We were kicked off the flight even though we hadn't even spoke a single word to the crew members."

Related - Couple caught 'joining the mile high club' during flight:
[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/4Bmt61BT-sKUnNGKf.mp4||4Bmt61BT]]

Tutunca continued that he and his two children, aged seven and three, were left stranded as a result of the incident and forced to sleep in a terminal.

"We have been waiting for over four hours and my children are sleeping on benches at the airport," he said. According to Tutunca, the ordeal meant his children "were put through hell."

However, contrary to what the group claimed, other passengers on the plane said that they were being disruptive.

"The plane was taxing to the runway when the group started showing signs of 'aggression'," a passenger claimed. "This wasn't tolerated at all by the cabin crew and the pilot took us back to where we board the plane... he said we were waiting on security to come and remove the family. One young man, in particular, was yelling out, saying 'you are f**ked Jetstar'."

A Jetstar spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: "Whilst taxiing to the runway a number of customers became disruptive and failed to follow crew instructions.

"The safety of our customers and crew is our number one priority and we do not tolerate any kind of disruptive or abusive behavior.

"We take these allegations extremely seriously and are investigating the matter, however, our crew disputes the claims made by these passengers."