As if contending with kosher plane food was not bad enough, Orthodox Jews now have something else to contend with on flights.
US Airways Group Inc. flight was diverted after an Orthodox Jewish teenager began praying and using a box which contains verses, setting off concerns among skittish crew members.
Nerves have been on edge after the so-called underwear bomber’s attempt to blow up a flight over Detroit in December, adding to an atmosphere of caution that has prevailed since the terror attack of Sept. 11, 2001.
Just before 9 a.m. EST, the crew on a US Airways Express flight–operated by Republic Airways Holdings Inc.’s Chautauqua Airlines and bound from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Louisville, Ky.–decided to land in Philadelphia to address their concerns. J.J. Klaver, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said the 17-year-old unveiled a phylactery, a leather box worn during certain Jewish services and also known as a tefillin, early in the flight. The teen was accompanied by his 16-year-old sister.
That landing occurred without incident, and all 15 passengers on the plane were “reaccommodated.” The teen was not detained or arrested. Klaver said, “This was just an incident.”
A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration said the agency was notified about 8:30 a.m. of “a disruptive passenger” before the crew diverted the flight. She also said the plane was swept, but that nothing was found.
Republic had no immediate comment.
I’ve heard of people hijacking a religion, but not religioning a hijack.
Thanks Islamic fundamentalist terrorist dudes for messing things up for the good people out there.
Update: At least awareness of tefillin has increased, with some news sites even devoting entire articles to them.
Update: Watch this police inspector talk about “the device” which is known as an “olfactory” (via Harry on Twitter)
