Muslim woman sues Southwest after being forced to move from emergency exit seat on flight

A Muslim woman has alleged that a Southwest Airlines flight attendant forced her to move from her seat on the emergency exit row because she “couldn't speak English” and “would bring the whole plane down in an emergency”. The American-born, bilingual passenger, identified only as Fatima, is suing the airline for religious discrimination as a result. She was travelling from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Dallas, Texas on 22 May along with her sister after a visit to see their mother in hospital when the incident occurred. The pair spoke in Arabic as they boarded the plane and sat in their seats on the emergency exit row. A flight attendant allegedly told them to move, despite the sisters imploring her in English, which they both speak fluently. Fatima's lawyer, Marwa Elbially, claimed the member of cabin crew initially refused to reconsider, telling them, “It doesn't matter,” before declaring that Fatima’s sister, who was not wearing a hijab, could remain where she was but that Fatima, who was wearing one, should move. “The hardest part was keeping my composure for three hours after being insulted,” Fatima said. The Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is filing a lawsuit against the carrier on Fatima’s behalf.<br/>