PARIS (AP) – French authorities are investigating an incident involving a group of young French citizens who were removed from a Vueling flight bound for Paris from Valencia, Spain, this week. The incident has raised concerns about whether the removal was based on their religious identity, specifically whether they were targeted due to being Jewish.
Initially, the airline, Vueling, refuted claims that the removal of these passengers was linked to their religion. On Wednesday, several dozen passengers were ejected from flight V8166, which was departing from Valencia for Paris. Vueling and Spanish police characterized the behavior of the passengers as unruly, leading to their removal.
In response to the situation, France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, expressed his serious concern regarding the incident in a statement released on Saturday. He contacted Vueling's CEO, Carolina Martinoli, to inquire further about the circumstances surrounding the removal of the group, particularly focusing on any potential discrimination based on religion.
Barrot's inquiry also extended to the Spanish ambassador to France, requesting additional information to clarify whether discrimination played a role in the incident. Vueling assured Barrot that an internal investigation was underway, pledging to share the findings with both French and Spanish authorities.
The dispute arose after reports surfaced linking the passengers' removal to their Jewish identity, which was circulated by several Israeli news outlets. An Israeli minister also alluded to this notion on social media, raising the stakes for the investigation. However, the Civil Guard in Spain indicated that, while the group consisted of minors and adults of French nationality, the agents involved were not aware of their religious backgrounds when making the decision to remove them from the flight.
A spokesperson for Vueling indicated that the removal was prompted by multiple incidents of misconduct from the minors, including tampering with the aircraft's emergency equipment and disrupting the crew's safety demonstration. It was reported that the captain of the aircraft ordered the minors' removal from Valencia's Manises Airport after they repeatedly defied crew instructions.
Following the incident, the Federation for Jewish Communities of Spain released a statement voicing their concerns and called upon Vueling to produce documentary evidence detailing the events that transpired on the flight. This call for transparency reflects a broader desire to ensure that all passengers are treated equitably, regardless of their religious affiliations.
As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen what conclusions will be drawn regarding the motivations behind the removal of the young French citizens from the flight and how this incident may influence the airline's policies and standards regarding passenger treatment in the future.
