Delta Airlines to ban Jews and Israeli Citizens From Boarding Flights to Saudi Arabia- Disputed!

Delta Airlines to ban Jews and Israeli Citizens From Boarding Flights to Saudi Arabia- Disputed!

Summary of the eRumor:
This is a forwarded email that says Delta Airlines plans to add Saudi Arabian Airlines to their Sky Team. Because of this affiliation, warnings have hit the World Wide Web alleging that Delta might begin enforcing a Saudi Arabian policy of not admitting Jews or Israelis on their flights bound to Saudi Arabia.

The Truth:
It is true that Delta Airlines has entered into an affiliation with Saudi Airlines but Delta said that it does not have any policy that discriminates ethnically, religiously or racially against anyone who travels on their planes

Trebor Banstetter, a spokesperson for Delta, released a statement on the Delta Airlines Blog on Thursday June 23, 2011 that said, "First and foremost, I think one of the most important things to mention here is that Delta does not discriminate nor do we condone discrimination against anyone in regards to age, race, nationality, religion, or gender." The statement also said, that "it’s important to realize that visa requirements to enter any country are dictated by that nation’s government, not the airlines, and they apply to anyone entering the country regardless of whether it’s by plane, bus or train."

The blog said that Delta belongs to an alliance of 14 international airlines and that they have a standard industry agreement with each other. This, according to the blog, "allows passengers to book tickets on multiple carriers." Other airlines in this alliance include American Airlines, US Airways and Alaska Airlines.

This recent affiliation also sparked an investigation on Capitol Hill, according to a June 25 article in the Jerusalem Post. Senator Mark Kirk (R Illinois) wrote J. Randolph Babbit, the Administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration asking him him to determine whether there were any violations of U.S. laws or regulations by Delta Airlines.

update 6/24/11

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Delta Air Lines’ plan to add Saudi Arabian Airlines to its SkyTeam Alliance of partnering companies would require the American carrier to ban Jews and holders of Israeli passports from boarding flights from New York or Washington bound for Jeddah, prompting outraged accusations of illegal religious discrimination.

The issue, which has caught the attention of the American Center for Law and Justice already, was raised when Washington attorney Jeffrey Lovitky was perusing airline procedures for travel.

“As we learn more about the issue and facts, we are determined to ensure that American citizens do not face discrimination by airlines like Delta that are passenger code-sharing with Saudi Arabian Airlines, said Colby M. May, director and senior counsel of the ACLJ.