Delta Airlines apologized on Thursday after facing public backlash over a Wednesday tweet in which a staff member was seen wearing a Palestinian flag pin.
Delta Airlines came under fire after a post made via its X (formerly Twitter) account claiming that flight attendants were wearing Palestinian flag pins, which X users misidentified as “Hamas badges.” The user's post linked the presence of these pins to security concerns, recalling security measures implemented after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) denounced the airline in a social media post on Wednesday.
Whether this racist post on Delta Airlines' X account was approved or unauthorized, Delta must apologize and take steps to educate its employees about this type of dangerous anti-Palestinian racism. Bias against Palestinian-Americans is completely out of control in the workplace and beyond. pic.twitter.com/3wezN6W8iN
— CAIR National (@CAIRNational) July 10, 2024
“I'm personally terrified,” the airline said. I have written “Our employees reflect our culture and we do not take lightly that our policies are not being followed.”
The response drew widespread criticism, leading Delta to remove the post and demote the person responsible. according to In the New York Post.
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 28: A Delta Air Lines plane parks at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on June 28, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said it expects “a sustained period of increased passenger numbers” that will break previous travel records. (Photo by Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
“Delta removed a comment posted in error on Wednesday because it contradicts our company values ​​and mission to connect the world,” the airline told the New York Post. “The team member responsible for the post has been coached and will no longer support Delta's social channels. We apologize for the error.” (RELATED: Video shows woman panicking at LAX before realizing she's in the wrong terminal)
On Wednesday, we removed the response that did not align with our values. We strive for an inclusive and respectful environment for everyone in our community and on board our aircraft. The employee responsible will no longer support Delta's social channels. We apologize for this hurtful post.
— Delta (@Delta) July 11, 2024
In response to the incident and backlash, Delta has announced a policy change that will ban employees from wearing any flag badges except the American flag, effective July 15, 2024, according to the New York Post.
