Washington, D.C. | adc.org | August 26, 2023 – The Department of Transportation (DOT) has formally opened an investigation into the discriminatory action and treatment faced by Noor Wazwaz by Israeli airline EI AI. ADC welcomes the opening of the investigation, and we reaffirm our position that El Al must be held responsible for their mistreatment of an American citizen.
Last week ADC submitted a complaint on behalf of Noor Wazwaz, a U.S. citizen, who was detained by El Al Airlines security officials denied boarding on an El Al Israel flight from Newark, NJ to Ben Gurion Airport on July 18, 2023. Ms. Wazwaz documented her experiences on this X (formerly Twitter) thread. Ms. Wazwaz faced serious discrimination and harassment by agents working for El Al Airlines and Israel, both in the US at Newark Liberty International Airport and in Israel at Ben Gurion Airport due to her Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab backgrounds.
ADC National Executive Director Abed Ayoub said, “We believe in the fundamental principle that every individual deserves respect and fair treatment during their travel experience. DOT’s investigation into Noor’s case is a significant step towards ensuring that these values are upheld across the aviation sector.”
ADC will keep the public updated as the investigation unfolds. We are committed to monitoring industry practices and raising discrimination-related complaints. If you have faced discrimination while traveling, send us an email to legal@adc.org.