Plato: I think acvitale is suggesting that your continued hysteria on this subject is suggestive of preconception.

You sound a little bit like the Red Queen: "he didn't initial the paperwork -- off with his head!"

The witnesses can certainly testify as to the agent's manner and behavior in their presence.

The whole mess seems to have started with a flight attendent who went out of their way to search the passenger's private belongings, and who could not tell the difference between Arabic script and Latin script formed -- for marketing purposes -- to look vaguely Arabic.

AA should just offer an apology -- the agent isn't asking for money -- and send the employees to intelligence school (I would say sensitivity training, but that comes after Common Sense 101, imo).

Pilots SHOULD have the discretion to fly whom they please (acvitale: please don't use "whom " anymore, until you learn how). But they should also be held responsible for the consequences when they screw up. That's what they get paid bigbucks for, right?