The Orlando Airport Has Opened a Muslim Prayer Room-Truth!
Summary of eRumor:
There’s a Muslim prayer room located at Orlando International airport.
The Truth:
It’s true that Orlando International airport opened a reflection and prayer room for Muslim travelers in September 2015.
The decision to open the prayer room came after Emirates airlines added nonstop air service from Dubai to Orlando. The first Emirates airlines flight from Dubai landed at Orlando International airport on September 1, 2015. That’s the same day that the Orlando airport’s new Islamic prayer and reflection room opened for service.
Orlando became Emirates’ 10th connection in the United States. The airline has service to airports in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Washington D.C., New York and Boston. The only airport (aside from Orlando) that has an exclusive Muslim prayer and reflection room is John F. Kennedy International airport in New York City. Other airports have interfaith chapels for prayer and reflection.
Orlando International airport director Phil Brown told the Orland Sentinel in a statement that Orland has become a global community, and “we want to be able to accommodate and provide high-quality amenities for all our passengers.”
The Rev. Robert Susann, chaplain of the Orlando International airport interfaith chapel, said the Muslim prayer room was a needed addition:
“We try to cover everybody,” Susann said. “We’re doing the best we can.”
He called the reflection room a good idea, especially its location on Airside 4, where Dubai-based Emirates will be located, along with several other international carriers.
“That’s handier for them,” Susann said.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Orlando said that prior to the addition of the Islamic prayer room, Muslim passengers had to do daily prayers in terminals and public restrooms. The airport spent $350,000 on the Muslim prayer room, according to the organization.