Personally disappointed to read this thread here on FT.

Not sure where here I read it, but seems that there have been confirmed instances where arabic appearing folks were asked to LEAVE planes before they took off. To the pax enormous embarrassment etc of course. Other pax and/or staff had apparently refused to fly with them on board.

Their 'offences', apart from their appearance? Often looking at their watch, or visiting the bathroom more than once etc.

It is a sorry day to hear stories like that. They passed all the security checks you or I did - probably twice as many to be frank. Check-in agents you can bet minutely scrutinized their ID and tickets and asked questions.

If one of us today went to a purser and demanded them to remove a clean, well dressed, well behaved person of negroid or asian or latino apparance etc as that person made us feel uncomfortable you would probably get arrested for breaking a racial discrimination law of some kind.

This is not Mississippi in 1951 surely? Haven't we moved on from there?