American Airlines promised Friday night to investigate an incident in which Mohammed Al Faqihi, a Bahraini student, was ordered off a flight at New York's Kennedy Airport shortly before it took off for London, reported the official Kuwaiti news agency (KUNA).
The agency said that an airline spokesman had apologized for any misunderstanding or inconvenience caused to Mohammed, who was desperate to reach London where his father Ibrahim was dying.
The spokesman said he was aware of the incident but did not have specific details.
"We have had several reported cases like this since September 11 across our entire network," he said from the airline's headquarters at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport.
"It is definitely unfortunate ... and not a pleasant situation for any of us. But ultimately, the captain calls the shots. He has the final word on who will fly aboard his aircraft."
He said he would investigate the incident further.
The student was a victim of one of many similar incidents involving people of an Arab and Muslim background that have occurred across America since the terrorist attacks in Washington and New York on September 11.
Faqihi is now back in Bahrain, where he has spent the last three days receiving condolence calls from hundreds of relatives and friends following the death of his 50-year-old businessman father, who died in London on Tuesday after a four-month battle with lung cancer, said the agency.
The backlash against Muslims and Arabs in the US has been condemned by Washington and the world, but incidents of prejudiced involving American citizens of Arab origin treatment are still in the headlines – Albawaba.com
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