http://www.wvwnews.net/story.php?id=4728
Dutch Politician Moved on Flight After Muslim Woman Request
Political Correctness; Posted on: 2008-05-25
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Amsterdam CDA municipal council member Lex van Drooge was recently asked
to
move to a different seat on a KLM flight from Istanbul to Amsterdam, since
the
Muslim woman sitting next to him had objections about sitting next to a
man.
The council member had been a work trip to Istanbul together with a group
of
Amsterdam politicians. He says that at beginning of the trip back he was
asked
by a stewardess to move elsewhere in the plane. It turned out this request
was
from his original headscarf wearing neighbor.
Van Drooge says that apparently we don't know how to deal with these type
of
situations, which happily only happen occasionally.
The unusual request by the Muslim woman, who was traveling on her own and
who
did not say a word to Van Drooge, was not noticed by other passengers. The
Amsterdam resident is surprised at how things developed, and has a "slight
unpleasant feeling".
He says he naturally called around, and found that Turkish airplane
companies
haven't heard about different cl***** for men and women.
A spokesperson for KLM could not confirm the story, and said there is no
specific policy regarding such cultural or religious inspired requests.
But
she says that the crew takes into account special requests of passengers.
"If
it's possible, than we do that, and if it's not possible, than not."
It's unclear why the woman was not moved to a different place. The KLM
spokesperson says that that was also possible.
News Source: Telegraaf
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