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Indian-American Sikh actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia, who stood by his refusal to remove his turban for a security check in Mexico, scored a victory when Aeromexico and authorities there backed down and let him board a flight back to New York without taking off the religious headgear.
The New York Times reported that Ahluwalia flew back to the U.S. Feb 10, ending a two-day standoff that began Feb.8 when he was not allowed to board the plane after he had been given a first class boarding pass, because he refused to take off his turban during a secondary security check. Aeroméxico said in a statement it had apologized to Ahluwalia, the Times reported. “This incident inspires us to make sure that our safety personnel strengthens its customer service protocols, with full respect for the cultural and religious values of our customers,” the Mexican airline said.
Before boarding his homeward-bound flight Feb. 10, Ahluwalia was required only to rub his turban with his hand and have his hand swabbed for a security check, which he did, the news report said. Before the flight took off, the actor posted a picture of himself with two Aeromexico pilots in uniform.
Harsimran Kaur, the legal director for the Sikh Coalition, told the Times, ““He told us that the check was smooth.” The airline has agreed to initiate staff training about how to deal with passengers wearing religious head coverings, she added.
About Monday’s episode that sparked the standoff, the Times said that during the secondary screening Ahluwalia feet and bag were searched and swabbed, and he was told to remove a sweatshirt and he was patted down. Then, he said, he was asked to take off his turban.
“I responded matter-of-factly that I won’t be taking off my turban,” Ahluwalia, 41, who grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, was quoted as saying in an interview from the airport in Mexico City.
“And then they talked amongst themselves and they said, ‘O.K., then you are not getting on the flight.'”
He said he was told by another airline security official that he would not be boarding any other Aeroméxico flight until he met their security demands.
“It is a symbol of my faith,” Ahluwalia said, explaining why he would not remove the turban. “It is something that I wear whenever I am in public.” At that time, a statement released by the airline said that Ahluwalia’s screening was in compliance with Transportation Security Administration protocol and that the airline had offered him alternatives to “reach his destination as soon as possible.”
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