This question is asked only under US law. Every year or two, you read a story about crew order an Orthodox Jew or Religious Muslim ordering someone off a plane because another person does not feel “comfortable.” You hear the same thing about people speaking Arabic in particular on a plane.

Normally, you have to obey crew instructions even when the crew member is legally wrong about the instruction. My question is whether you have a legal right to disobey a crew order which is based on factors directly protected by dozens of federal law such as race or religion. I suspect the TSA would certainly understand the principle if the order was being given overtly given based on the color of a person’s skin? I’ve never in any of the videos seen them take any kind of investigative actions before backing the crew?

I understand that a plane with an impending take off is a difficult place to make credibility calls, but it seems like the question is not as simple in theory as it is being made out as. If my question is too theoretical, please feel free to take it down.