Frontier Airlines says it kicked a Hasidic family off flight because they weren’t wearing masks. The family claims they were.
(JTA) — Frontier Airlines is facing accusations of anti-Semitism after videos circulated online of the airline kicking a Hasidic family off a plane because of violations over its mask requirements.
The family claims that its members were properly masked on the Sunday night flight from Miami to New York City, except for an 18-month-old baby, according to videos posted by OJPAC, an Orthodox Jewish advocacy group. Others who said they were on the flight recalled watching some people high-five after the family left the plane.
The airline says the baby was not the issue that prompted the eviction, and that adults in the group that was removed from the plane were not wearing masks.
The Anti-Defamation League’s New York-New Jersey office called for a “full & transparent investigation” of the incident.
Although what caused the eviction is unclear, videos posted by OJPAC show several Hasidic Jews standing in the aisle, all wearing masks. Multiple people say in the videos that the only unmasked passenger is the baby. In one video, a Hasidic woman says that kids briefly took off their masks to have a snack.
In another video posted by OJPAC, people said the airline staff high-fived after deplaning the family.
“I saw them high-fiving each other, and high-fiving and saying ‘A job well done to those Jews,’” one man said.
Frontier wrote on Twitter that the family did not comply with instructions from flight attendants.
“Members of a large group, including adults, refused to wear masks as flight 2878 was preparing for departure from MIA-LGA,” the airline tweeted. “Repeated requests to comply with federal law necessitated their removal from the flight. The issue did not stem from a child under 2.”
A passenger told Hamodia, a haredi Orthodox publication, that 15 police officers responded to the incident. According to Hamodia, the flight was canceled eventually due to the incident.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
That’s why I’m paying it Forward, by matching $36,000 of reader gifts. It’s an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, to continue telling the American Jewish story with truth and independence.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
