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Woman forced to sit in back of flight sues El Al

Florida resident seeks NIS 50,000 in compensation for gender discrimination after she was forced to change seats because of haredi man

A woman who was forced to change seats on an El Al flight is suing the airline for gender discrimination and emotional distress, Ynet learned Friday.

 

Debra Ryder from Florida boarded her flight only to find that an ultra-Orthodox man had taken her seat. He refused to move and was "very vocal" about refusing to sit next to her, according to reports.

 

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According to Ryder, the steward simply moved her to another seat, in the back. Ryder said that the change was done without her consent and was presented to her as a fait accompli.

 

"I felt humiliated," she said. Accordingly, she filed a lawsuit against the Israeli airline and is seeking NIS 50,000 (roughly $12,500) in compensation for the distress and gender discrimination she experienced.

 

Ryder told Army Radio that the steward who handled the situation "In his quiet way… did hint that (the man) was religious… but it was clear that the steward did not know how to deal with the situation. They didn't even ask me and I was humiliated. If they had asked, it would have felt different. I never thought I'd have such an experience."

 

An El Al has statement said that, "Flight attendants are at the service of passengers, they are faced with different requests and they try to help as much as possible. The passenger's complaint will be looked into and dealt with accordingly."

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.12.12, 14:25
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