Metro
By Dean Balsamini
Published
Feb. 3, 2024, 6:14 p.m. ET
A Queens couple is claiming that their family was unfairly removed from a New York-bound JetBlue flight because they are Orthodox Jews, as stated in a $40 million lawsuit against the airline.
Michael Nektalov, 42, his wife Miryem Yushanayev, and their five children were on their way back from an Aruba vacation on Feb. 4, 2021 when they, along with another Jewish family, were asked to leave the plane.
According to the Brooklyn Federal Court papers, the couple were dressed according to the customs of their religious community, with Miryem wearing a head covering and Michael sporting a long beard and yarmulke.
The family also communicated at times in Hebrew.
The couple expressed feeling “uncomfortable” after noticing “disdainful and dirty looks” from JetBlue employees, as mentioned in the court papers.
Just before takeoff, the plane returned to the gate, according to the family’s account in the court papers.
Nektalov’s wife reportedly inquired with a flight attendant about the situation and was told that her mask had slipped off her nose, as stated in the legal filing. They also mentioned that the attendant made a note of her seat.
The family alleged that the mother was then unjustly removed from the plane on the grounds of not wearing a face mask, while another Jewish family was also asked to depart.
“We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind at JetBlue,” stated a company spokesperson. AP
When the Jewish families questioned the reason for their removal, a JetBlue employee allegedly made a public announcement, threatening that if they did not leave the plane, the entire plane would have to deplane.
“In that moment, I felt as though we were in Nazi Germany, and that we were being isolated, vilified, and herded for disposal,” Nektalov expressed in the Jan. 26 filing.
The family filed a $40 million lawsuit against the airline.
A JetBlue spokesman commented that the company had not yet reviewed the lawsuit.
“We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind at JetBlue. … We take any claims such as these seriously and will work to fully understand the facts of what happened in this event,” said spokesman Derek Dombrowski.
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