LONDON: Delta Air Lines has sparked controversy by appearing to support a post on X claiming that Palestine flag pins worn by two of its cabin crew members were “Hamas badges.”
In a now-deleted response, the US carrier’s account seemed to validate a user’s accusation that its staff were allowed to wear “Hamas badges in the air.”
The company wrote: “I hear you and 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.”
It added in another reply: “Nothing to worry, this is being investigated already, particularly the involved parties.”
The incident reportedly occurred during a flight last Friday between Boston and West Palm Beach in Florida.
The photo showing crew members wearing Palestine flag pins initially surfaced on the social media platform and was subsequently shared by several pro-Israel advocacy groups, including StopAntisemitism, which humorously suggested that Delta was opening “a new summer route” to Palestine.
The account also shared images from one of the flight attendant’s personal Instagram pages.
Delta Air Line’s response triggered an outcry on X, with users calling for a boycott of the airline over its handling of the situation.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations urged Delta to apologize for the post, describing it as a “racist anti-Palestinian tweet.”
CAIR Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement on Thursday: “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.”
The incident adds to a series of controversies involving the American carrier, including previous criticism over alleged discrimination, particularly against Muslims.
In a reported incident in May, media outlets revealed that Delta staff had asked a Jewish activist to cover up a T-shirt reading “Jews say ceasefire now” during a flight.
