Masudur Rahman, who is also an adjunct instructor of Arabic at the University of Memphis, said by telephone from the terminal at Memphis International Airport that he and another imam had already been allowed to board their Delta Connection flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, when they were asked to leave the plane.
Transportation Security Administration spokesman John Allen in Atlanta confirmed the incident and said it was not initiated by the agency.
A Delta Air Lines spokeswoman said the flight was operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines, which also is based in Atlanta. ASA didn’t immediately respond to telephone calls seeking comment.
Rahman said he was dressed in traditional Indian clothing and his traveling companion was dressed in Arab garb, including traditional headgear.
Rahman said was traveling with Mohamed Zaghloul of the Islamic Association of Greater Memphis.
The aircraft pulled away from the gate, but the pilot then announced the plane must return, Rahman said. When it did, the imams were asked to go back to the boarding gate where Rahman said they were told the pilot was refusing to accept them because some other passengers could be uncomfortable.
Rahman said Delta officials talked with the pilot for more than a half-hour, but he still refused.
The men were taken to a lounge and booked on a later flight.
They called the Council on Islamic-American Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group in Washington, D.C.
“It’s racism and bias because of our religion and appearance and because of misinformation about our religion.” Rahman said. “If they understood Islam, they wouldn’t do this.”
