Delta Air Lines has issued an apology after it received backlash over a tweet that falsely claimed two of its flight attendants were wearing “Hamas badges,” referring to Palestinian flag pins on their uniforms.
The controversy began on Tuesday when an X (formerly Twitter) user shared an image of the flight attendants with the caption, “Since 2001, have taken our shoes off in every airport because of a terrorist attack on US soil. Imagine getting into a Delta flight and seeing workers with Hamas badges in the air. What do you do?”
A day later, Delta Airlines which is one of the major airlines in the United States responded to the viral photo and wrote on their official X account, “I hear you as I’d be terrified as well, personally. Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take it lightly when our policy is not being followed.”
This tweet, however, was deleted later.
Muslim organizations demand an apology
Responding to the Delta Airlines tweet, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the US’ largest Muslim advocacy organization, released a statement on their X account where they demanded that the airline must apologize for their “racist anti-Palestinian” comment.
” Whether this racist post on Delta’s X account was approved or unauthorized, Delta must apologize and take steps to educate its employees about this type of dangerous anti-Palestinian racism. Bigotry against Palestinian Americans is absolutely out of control in workplaces and at schools – and it must stop,” CAIR wrote.
Delta Air Lines’ apology
Following outrage over Delta’s response tweet, the airlines subsequently issued an apology on X, stating, “On Wednesday, we removed a reply that was not in line with our values. We strive for an environment of inclusivity and respect for all in our communities and our planes. The employee responsible no longer supports Delta’s social channels. We apologize for this hurtful post.”
According to CBS News, the two Delta employees photographed wearing the pins will continue to work for the airline as “it complied with its uniform policy. “However, moving forward, Delta will only permit employees to wear U.S. flags on their uniforms.
“Previously, pins representing countries or nationalities of the world had been permitted,” CBS News quoted Delta as saying.
“We are taking this step to help ensure a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for all. We are proud of our diverse base of employees and customers and the foundation of our brand, which is to connect the world and provide a premium experience,” the airline said.
