“Dear NYC fashion week. I may be a little late as @aeromexico won’t let me fly with a turban. Don’t start the show without me. #LoveNotFear #FearisanOpportunitytoEducate.” Actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia has posted a series of Instagram snaps from inside Mexico City airport, where he was stuck for at least 13 hours after being rejected from a flight for refusing to remove his turban.
“This morning in Mexico City I was told I could not board my @aeromexico flight to NYC because of my turban. #FearisanOpportunitytoEducate #humanrights #dignity #lovenotfear,” Waris, who is Sikh, posted with a later update noting: “13 hours later. Still in Mexico City. No traveler should be subjected to what I was today. All we’re asking for from @aeromexico is an apology and education/training of the staff.”
Ahluwalia reportedly requested a private screening room in which to remove the turban, but was refused. Speaking to the NY Daily News, Ahluwalia said, “[Taking the turban off] is not something that I would do in public. That’s akin to asking someone to take off their clothes.” “I was shaking at first,” he continues, “That’s not a nice thing to be told, that you are not allowed to fly on this plane because of something you are wearing, or because of your religious beliefs.”
The NY Daily spoke to Simran Jeet Singh, senior religion fellow for the Sikh Coalition, who explains that, “Wearing a turban is not optional. We don’t put it on and take it off when we please… The turban represents our commitment to justice, to service and to faith.”
Aero Mexico have not apologized, instead issuing a statement saying that they have to follow, “federal requirements in terms of security determined by the US Transportation Security Administration to review passengers,” adding that the airline, “regrets the inconvenience that any passenger may perceive from the application of these procedures,” and confirming their commitment to transport all passengers regardless of their religion.
“This is horrible. I hope that @aeromexico tries to make it right and give you the formal apology you deserve. (And free flights for the rest of your life, first class),” one commenter wrote on Ahluwalia’s Instagram post. Most recent reports suggest Waris simply booked with a different operator and was waiting to fly to New York.
Credits
Text Charlotte Gush
Photography via @houseofwaris