Delta flight attendants wearing Palestine pins raise policy enforcement questions

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Delta flight attendants wearing Palestine pins raise policy enforcement questions

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Gary Leff Chief Financial Officer | View from the Wing

By Sky Industry News

Jul 7, 2024

A passenger on Delta flight 1245 from Boston to West Palm Beach shared a photo of a flight attendant wearing a Palestine flag pin. This practice appears more common among Delta employees than those of other airlines, despite violating the airline's uniform standards. Delta has not enforced these standards, possibly to avoid controversy during a unionization drive or to prevent alienating customers at their Detroit hub.

"Hey @Delta – did you add Palestine as a new summer route? Your customers on a Boston to West Palm Beach flight yesterday were perplexed to see your flight attendant adorning a flag of Palestine pin," tweeted StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) on July 6, 2024.

Reports indicate that several Delta employees have been seen wearing Palestine pins, including one at Washington’s National Airport. "Last time we checked @Delta, your airline is American-based with no flights to 'Palestine'. Why is your employee at Ronald Reagan Airport wearing a Palestinian flag?" tweeted StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) on May 1, 2024.

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Wearing a Palestinian flag can be seen as advocating for two states, although this interpretation varies. Spain, Ireland, and Norway now recognize a Palestinian state. The Biden administration's reduced support for Israel is partly due to Michigan being a battleground state and concerns about Muslim voter turnout. Delta has a hub in Detroit, where Dearborn hosts the largest Muslim concentration and mosque in North America.

JetBlue recently banned a Jewish passenger who complained about an attendant's Palestine pin and updated its uniform policy to ban unapproved pins. In contrast, Delta has not addressed these uniform violations publicly. Flight attendants are expected not to wear pins that express positions other than official Delta stances.

The issue raises concerns about front-line airline employees expressing political views towards passengers. Airline staff hold significant power over passengers' travel experiences and decisions regarding boarding or labeling them "disruptive." Introducing politics into the cabin exacerbates existing tensions among passengers.