A legal complaint has been initiated against JetBlue by a passenger of Orthodox Jewish faith who asserts he was removed from a flight for endeavoring to change seats in accordance with his religious convictions.
Abraham Lunger, identified as an Orthodox Jew, was slated to embark on a late-night flight from Palm Springs International Airport to John F.
Kennedy International Airport on December 31, 2023, as detailed in the lawsuit. Per his religious tenets, Lunger maintains he can only sit beside a woman if she is a blood relative or his spouse.
The lawsuit, lodged in the US District Court Southern District of New York on February 27, contends that despite efforts to arrange seating to accommodate Lunger's beliefs, he and his wife were not assigned adjacent seats.
Upon noticing a woman preparing to occupy the seat beside him, Lunger reportedly stood quietly in the aisle to address the matter.
However, a flight attendant intervened, rejecting his explanation and thwarting his attempts to negotiate a seat swap with another passenger.
Despite offers from fellow passengers to exchange seats, the pilot purportedly informed Lunger and his companions that seat changes were not permissible due to an alleged weight distribution issue.
Subsequently, they were instructed to disembark from the plane, denied access to their belongings, and left without lodging, sustenance, or transportation.
JetBlue has expressed its commitment to accommodating the diverse needs of its clientele but refrained from providing further commentary owing to ongoing legal proceedings.
The lawsuit alleges instances of religious and racial bias and seeks redress in the form of compensatory and punitive damages, as well as coverage of legal expenses.