El Al to toss people from airplanes for refusing to sit

There was a recent news report of another incident on an El Al airplane where the flight was delayed for an hour and a quarter while some Haredim refused to take their seats as they were placed next to women. The staff got involved and eventually brought order and found solutions but it took a long time.

That wasn't so interesting. It has happened many times. El Al has proven to be the worst on this issue, because they are so dependent on the business of the Haredi community, which continues to prefer El Al over other airlines. Despite El Al claiming the staff are not allowed to get involved in such issues, they continue to do so, and they continue to upset many others to solve these situations.

What is interesting is the response of the management. After a large technology company, NICE, decided it would no longer send its employees on El Al flights because of this behavior, discriminating against women,  the  CEO of El Al issued a statement saying that the situation was dealt with using the appropriate sensitivity and that El Al is an airline that promotes equality and does not discriminate based on religion, race or sex - however, to remove all doubt, he also instructed staff across the board that from now on any person refusing to take his assigned seat, next to any other passenger, will be removed form the airplane.

If they need some instruction in how to do this, I would point El Al in the direction of United Airlines which has some experience removing passengers from airplanes...

I am just kidding about that, but I wait to see them actually remove a passenger for this rather than try to work it out, and at what point will they do so and stop other efforts of finding alternate seats.

In general, there really should be no reason to get to this point. This issue need not come up repeatedly as it does. The technology in seat reservation and booking should be able to offer, even if at a price, the option for people who dont want to sit next to women. When checking in, Haredi people not wanting to risk being placed next to a woman can reserve can entire row or select to be placed next to a male. Why this isnt in place, I dont know. And once we get that place, we can also then offer the option of not sitting next to a man, an African American person, a child, an Arab, or use any other qualifier you want.

I await the day when we will see someone removed from a flight for this reason. I will see that as an exciting and interesting news item.

------------------------------------------------------
Reach thousands of readers with your ad by advertising on Life in Israel

------------------------------------------------------