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JFK Airport in New York. Israelis not allowed to buy ticket for Saudi Arabian Airlines (archives)
Photo: AFP

Saudi airline refuses tickets for Israelis

New York Post reveals Saudi Arabian Airlines won't allow Israeli citizens to book tickets for flights from American airports

VIDEO – Saudi Arabian Airlines has been accused of discriminating against Israeli citizens after it was revealed in the New York Post that the company refuses to allow Israelis to book tickets for flights from American airports.

 

When booking tickets from the company’s website, users are required to indicate their nationality. Conspicuously absent from the list of options is Israel.

 

Video courtesy of jn1.tv

 

According to the newspaper, New York politician Bill de Blasio tried calling the airline to buy a ticket using Israeli nationality, but was refused by the company’s staff.

 

De Blasio says the company is breaking US law, which stipulates that an airline operating in the country cannot discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex or ancestry.

 

“No city in the world has closer ties to Israel than we do, and yet Israeli citizens are being discriminated against right here at JFK. It’s not only illegal; it’s an affront to who we are,” he said.

 

“We won’t stop with just exposing these practices. We’ll pursue this with authorities in Albany and in Washington until Israeli nationals’ rights are respected,” he added.

 

According to the New York Post, when a member of de Blasio’s staff called the airline pretending to be an Israeli citizen trying to fly from JFK to Mumbai, India, he was told he could not fly with the airline.

 

“Since you have Israeli nationality, you will not be allowed to go on Saudi Airlines,” the agent said.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 07.17.13, 13:21
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