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From AJN
Qantas to probe antisemitic slur
Qantas to probe antisemitic slur
QANTAS, the Spirit of Australia, will conduct a full inquiry into an antisemitic incident witnessed by a Jewish passenger.
Daniel Moses was flying first class from Singapore to Sydney earlier this month when a flight attendant made a number of antisemitic and insensitive remarks.
He logged a series of complaints with the airline soon after and following two weeks of inaction, finally received a response.
Daniel Moses was flying first class from Singapore to Sydney earlier this month when a flight attendant made a number of antisemitic and insensitive remarks.
He logged a series of complaints with the airline soon after and following two weeks of inaction, finally received a response.
Qantas will examine both the in-flight incident and the poor response Moses initially received from the national carrier. Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon also telephoned Moses to personally apologise for the incident.
Moses was on his way home from a holiday in the Maldives when he overheard another passenger speaking to a flight attendant and after settling the woman’s issue, the flight attendant allegedly turned to Moses and said, “Jews”.
When Moses, a 35-year-old businessman from Sydney, asked her what she meant, she replied, “That’s what you get when you deal with Jews.”
Even after Moses revealed that he himself was Jewish, the flight attendant continued her slur.
“Well, you better go and tell her [the elderly French lady] that she is letting your team down,” before adding that South African Jews were the “worst”.
In his complaint, Moses wrote, “In 35 years, I have never been subjected to such racist comments, and not only of an antisemitic nature. I mean about any race or religion.”
He told the AJN that even though he is Jewish, he is adamant he would have filed a similar complaint if he had heard a Qantas staff member talking about any faith or race in a derogatory manner.
Moses said the call from Dixon showed how seriously Qantas was taking his allegations and said he wouldn’t hesitate to fly with the carrier in the future.
“I am satisfied that they are doing what they can to prevent it but I am not exactly sure how they can do it,” Moses said. “You can never be 100 per cent sure that it won’t happen again.”
In a brief statement, the airline assured customers that it “will not tolerate any forms of racial discrimination”.
Moses was on his way home from a holiday in the Maldives when he overheard another passenger speaking to a flight attendant and after settling the woman’s issue, the flight attendant allegedly turned to Moses and said, “Jews”.
When Moses, a 35-year-old businessman from Sydney, asked her what she meant, she replied, “That’s what you get when you deal with Jews.”
Even after Moses revealed that he himself was Jewish, the flight attendant continued her slur.
“Well, you better go and tell her [the elderly French lady] that she is letting your team down,” before adding that South African Jews were the “worst”.
In his complaint, Moses wrote, “In 35 years, I have never been subjected to such racist comments, and not only of an antisemitic nature. I mean about any race or religion.”
He told the AJN that even though he is Jewish, he is adamant he would have filed a similar complaint if he had heard a Qantas staff member talking about any faith or race in a derogatory manner.
Moses said the call from Dixon showed how seriously Qantas was taking his allegations and said he wouldn’t hesitate to fly with the carrier in the future.
“I am satisfied that they are doing what they can to prevent it but I am not exactly sure how they can do it,” Moses said. “You can never be 100 per cent sure that it won’t happen again.”
In a brief statement, the airline assured customers that it “will not tolerate any forms of racial discrimination”.
Bagelblogger: Whilst the response from Mr Dixon shows the seriousness that he considers this complaint, the obvious question still remains unanswered. Is the Flight attendant still working for Qantas and what if any management action will be taken towards this member of staff?
References:
AJN: Qantas to probe antisemitic slur
