An Orthodox Jewish couple is suing American Airlines for discrimination. They alleged that they were kicked off a flight for "extremely offensive body odour". According to the Associated Press, Yehuda Yosef Adler, Jennie Adler and their then-19-month old daughter were kicked off the flight going from Miami to Detroit by a gate agent on January 23, 2019. The agent said that he knew people of their race and religion and that Orthodox Jews took show only once a week, according to the lawsuit filed on January 28 in Texas.

According to AP, the airline issued a statement saying that it removed the Southfield family after passengers and crew members complained about Yehuda Adler's odour. The statement said, "Our team members took care of the family and provided hotel accommodations and meals, and rebooked them on a flight to Detroit the next morning. None of the decisions made by our team in handling this sensitive situation was based on the Adler's (sic) religion."

In a similar incident, a Nigerian woman filed a lawsuit against United Airlines for racial discrimination in 2018. The African woman was kicked off a United Airlines flight after a fellow passenger complained about 'pungent odour'.

According to the recent lawsuit, the agent told Adlers that there was an emergency and asked them to get off the plane. They were told that it was because of their body odour, the pilot had instructed them to deboard. However, the couple said that the airlines treated them differently due to their religious beliefs. They believe as Yehu Adler wore a yarmulke, people were indifferent towards them. They are now seeking punitive damages.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 04, 2020 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).