Delta won't request religious affiliation
In letter to Simon Wiesenthal Center, American airline declares it will not facilitate Saudi government’s requirement that passengers disclose their religion
A letter to Jewish organization, from a senior vice president, read in part, “Delta employees do not currently and will not in future, request that customers declare their religious affiliation. We would also not seek such information on behalf of any SkyTeam partner or any airline.”
The controversy began shortly after it was announced that Saudi Arabian Airlines was joining the SkyTeam Alliance of airlines, which includes Delta. Initial concerns expressed that Delta might facilitate the Saudi government’s requirement that travelers disclose their religion were heightened when a Delta spokesperson wrote that the airline “must comply with all applicable laws in every country it serves” because it would face fines if a passenger arrives at a destination without proper documents.
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, SWC associate dean, wrote an open letter to Delta Airlines CEO Richard Anderson, slamming the response.
Last week, Delta officials met with Rabbi Cooper at SWC headquarters in Los Angeles to clarify the airline’s policy. That meeting was followed by a written commitment, the Jewish group said in a statement.
“Delta has now done the right thing, sending a signal to the Saudis that it will not cooperate with Riyadh’s policy of religious apartheid. We hope that all other US-based airlines and around the world will declare and follow a similar policy.
"We also urge the Obama Administration to lead the way in demanding that the Saudis drop their overt policy of religious discrimination,” Cooper concluded.
- Follow Ynetnews on Facebook
