A passenger on board a Ryanair flight to Tel Aviv was threatened with arrest after objecting to cabin crew announcements that the plane was headed to “Palestine” and trying to photograph the crewmember making the announcement. The announcement was made “multiple times, in both Italian and English.”
About half an hour before the plane was slated to touch down at Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel, the flight attendant announced over the intercom that the plane was “approaching Palestine.”
Some of the passengers on the flight spoke up about the announcement…and asked the attendant to either correct herself or apologize.
…Their requests were refused, and instead the cabin crew accused the passengers of creating a disturbance that endangered the safety of the flight, they recounted to the outlet.
The flight attendant, who hid their name tag, also debated geography and politics with passengers, insisting “that Tel Aviv is located not in the State of Israel, but in Palestine.”
As of this writing Ryanair hasn’t offered comment, though the Simon Wiesenthal Center (which hunted Nazi war criminals and hosts a Museum of Tolerance) suggests Israelis choose other carriers. Meanwhile Ryanair has had to fire its chief pilot for years of sexually harassing junior female cockpit crew.
Swiss International Air Lines once stirred controversy by removing Tel Aviv from its moving map and replacing it with the historical name of an Arab town. The German-owned airline said that was a mistake, and they meant to turn off the map feature entirely, so that no one could see Israel as they approached.
When Swiss did it, the argument was this is somehow meant to avoid being political though it’s certainly political. And they argued it would prevent giving offense – as though passengers flying to Tel Aviv, and many spending time in Tel Aviv, would be most offended about their trip by having the city and airport Tel Aviv… announced on a flight?
If anything, politics aside, announcing a different destination would be confusing. The airline sells passengers a ticket to Tel Aviv, but on board they’re told they’re going somewhere else?
With neither Yasser Arafat International Airport nor Gaza’s airport operational there are no flights in and out of Palestinian Authority-controlled territory. Residents there wishing to avoid Israeli-controlled airports might travel out of El Arish International Airport in Egypt, 29 miles from Gaza, but Egyptian authorities can take up to a day to process Palestinians at the border there.
(HT: Cheryl)
Another wack-job liberal on the rampage. RyanAir should fire the clown.
A few years ago I found it interesting to see how Air Qatar erased the Israeli borders from its in-flight maps. It showed the land and cities but that was all. We each have our opinions about this endless issue, but pre-1967 Israel, including Tel Aviv, is politically different from the West Bank/Gaza territories. The FA should have stayed away from the whole thing.
I would never fly with an airline that announces a destination as something other than what is on the ticket, This is extremely ignorant. You don’t have to like the politics or history, but stick to what is!
I suggest Alan ask his hero, Putin what should be said, rather than spew his anti Liberal nonsense.
Neo-Nazi, antisemitic flights attendants should be fired on the spot.
The flight attendant will be forgiven for ignorant political comments provided she is within 5% of her ideal weight.
Otherwise the airline is dropping the hammer
Reflects a lax management, lack of discipline, but I do not fly cheappo airlines anyway.
This is beyond ridiculous. I often spend half an hour at the check-in desk as the wage-slave staffer and I go through multiple documents with appropriate city and country names (visa, passport, itinerary, bag tags, covid statements, etc.) We already have the Comedy Central Cable Channel in place of safety announcements between door closing and take-off. Let’s just put the entire IATA-approved flight on TikTok live-stream and welcome our Dystopian Age of Flying.
Oh boy – here comes the jew hater comments (luckily, very few on this blog usually, but there will always be some that drool over this)
P.S – if it’s not flying to the destination I paid a ticket to – does this mean i’m entitled to EU261 compensation? LOL
P.P.S – We live in a world that has embraced post-truth, where anyone with a narrative or alternative truth feels super confident that the nonsense they believe in is “the truth” (with a capital T).
I’d ask the flight attendant if she even knows where the word “Palestine” comes from – so many, especially “palestinians” can’t answer that very simple question
Dude26 says:
June 15, 2023 at 9:00 am
Oh boy – here comes the jew hater comments (luckily, very few on this blog usually, but there will always be some that drool over this)
Netanyahu and the Israeli government would like to thank those who believe negative comments against Israel are antisemitic, even if said by Jews.and other Israelis; especially if they denounce Israel’s crimes against the Palestinians aka land theft, murder and other crimes against humanity.
@ Dude26. Heh, heh, heh…. Yeah, everyone on the flight should flood them with EU261 compensation claims….
And there you go with commenter @Sherri proving my point so so quickly LOL
As if this is about “Israeli government”. Classic shill for the anti-semites in the guise of “human rights” and all that jazz. Meanwhile, ask most of those people to denounce Putin, China, N.Korea, Iran mullahs etc etc – crickets, or – some of them are straight up rooting for them. Good is evil, Evil is good. Everything is backwards.
This is what happens when you believe in nonsense instead of grounded facts.
Just like UPS saying “Taipei, China”
Historically,. there is nothing more likely to precede a terrorist attack than shouting about how Israel is actually “Palestine.” The next time somebody does this, I’m sure the authorities at Ben Gurion Airport would like to know about the security risk. The consequences of that should teach the airhead flight attendant the value of shutting up and pouring the drinks.
Remember, NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR FROM FAs about anything ever, and if “literally anything” is outside the bounds of the opinions you should be sharing, then “hot takes on controversial political issues” is definitely something you should not even be thinking about.
Citing history correctly has nothing to do with being ‘iiberal’ or ‘conservative’. It has to do with intellectual honesty. Shouting, threatening, going on PR rampages does not change the truth. It also not change the reality of egregious zionist oppression, extrajudicial killing, abuse and jailing of children, land/home thefts, cutting off off water supplies, etc, etc.
Israel should pull Ryanairs landing rights if they can’t properly recognize the country’s existence
Palestinian travelers can also cross into Jordan at the Allenby international bridge and then take a bus to the international airport that serves Amman. Not sure how long visa processing takes if one doesn’t already have a Jordan visa. Also this doesn’t apply to Gaza.
It’s Palestine. But it’s israel too. Be respectful to both sides. Peace begins with you.
Ron said it so well it bears repeating:
> Remember, NO ONE WANTS TO HEAR FROM FAs about anything ever, and if “literally anything” is outside the bounds of the opinions you should be sharing, then “hot takes on controversial political issues” is definitely something you should not even be thinking about.
The FA’s job is tough and demanding, as are ALL jobs. It seems, though, that if you’re a cop you like to stress how tough your job is and that thin blue line and those damn civilians (all cops are civilians btw) and so on.
If you’re a firefighter your job is tough and you have to …er… do that thing where you like stop those red and orange things that burn. Fighting…. fires? Yes, tough job.
Sanitation engineers have to deal with the armoa of rotting garbage all day long. Sometimes, particularly after a “holiday day off” that’s a 12 hour workday of enjoying the armoa. You think you know what nausea is? That’s a tough job.
FAs. Air conditioning, nearby food, coffee, toilet, and a few pax to placate. That is also a tough job.
Nowhere in any of their job descriptions is included “evangelize about what you want countries to be called.” I’ll steer away from that, here.
Is it Yugoslavia? Constantinople? The Great Persian Empire?
IATA has codes and they exist for uniformity. In case the word is foreign it means “we all understand the same thing in the same way for the sake of communication.” Deep down inside we can lie to ourselves and pretend our terrorist hovel is a country, but not in IATA land. THE MOST IMPORTANT TAKE-AWAY is that an FA with a microphone has no business attempting to interject own politics into a simple “We’re arriving” announcement.
The FA should be allowed to “explore other opportunities.” Perhaps they can pilot a drone to blow up civilians and claim it’s their right.
EE
@saif
blowing yourself up near checkpoints or using civilans as human shields like your buddies do, will also have no bearing on reality
perhaps you should ask your rich leaders in qatar why they neglect their own people, just saying
Anybody who has the experience of living in Europe understands what most people who have lived exclusively in the Americas or Asia do not . . . a material percentage of Europeans – especially those from the political Left – simply despise, or at least obsessively resent Jews, despite never having met many (because their parents or grandparents exterminated most or all of them long ago).
Germany actually underwent de-Nazification after the War and is probably the European nation where overt anti-semitism is the least acceptable. But in places like UK, Italy, Ireland, France, people are much more open about it, even if they couch their rhetoric in “anti-Zionism.” This doesn’t surprise me much at all and is just the mask slipping a bit.
@Gary72
Liberalism is a mental disorder.
There is no such thing as palestine. There are no such thing as palestinians. Just arab squatters.
Jeff, it’s probably more like UPS saying Beijing, Taiwan.
High class airline this Ryanair is.
https://nypost.com/2023/06/16/ryanair-chief-pilot-sent-sexually-explicit-texts-to-junior-staffers/
Dude26 says:
June 15, 2023 at 9:45 am
“And there you go with commenter @Sherri proving my point so so quickly.”
On the contrary, Dude26, it is you and several others who have proven my point. Anything negative about Israel is automatically antisemitic according to you and others like you. The recognition of Israel as an Apartheid State is worldwide. Deal with it. It’s odd that you mention denouncing Putin, which I do, but you don’t mention his good friend, Netanyahu. He’s one of the biggest terrorists over there and I denounce him as well. Before you play the antisemite card with me, you should know that I’m a Jew.
doug says:
June 15, 2023 at 1:29 pm
“@saif
blowing yourself up near checkpoints or using civilans as human shields like your buddies do, will also have no bearing on reality
perhaps you should ask your rich leaders in qatar why they neglect their own people, just saying”
Qatar? What does Qatar have to do with this or anything @Saif said? He’s spot on, 100% correct btw.
With technology and so many people having the ability to video things, some of those “human shields” and “self-explosions” at checkpoints haven been proven to have been staged although it’s been years.
Mak says:
June 15, 2023 at 1:33 pm
“Germany actually underwent de-Nazification after the War and is probably the European nation where overt anti-semitism is the least acceptable. But in places like UK, Italy, Ireland, France, people are much more open about it, even if they couch their rhetoric in “anti-Zionism.” This doesn’t surprise me much at all and is just the mask slipping a bit.”
Having dated an atheist Englishman for several years, traveling back and forth to England myself, having friends/family from other countries and being a Jew myself, my personal view is the hate stems from religious views. I’m only speaking from what I’ve witnessed and heard and this doesn’t include ones who hate because it’s what they were taught. People can’t accept that Jews don’t accept Jesus as the Savior or Son of God. As one German friend, born and raised in Germany, once said about Jews, “fu*k them, they don’t believe in Jesus Christ”. I’ve yet to meet an antisemitic atheist.
Sherry:
> you should know that I’m a Jew.
I really “shoud know” things that are useful , also called facts, Your choice of religious affiliation is your right but is never relevant to the discussion..
Towit, you “should know” I have female friends. That doesn’t magically make anything I say mansplaining or not, or mysognistic or not. I have POC friends. Same deal. I have LGBTQ friends. None of that gives me license to spout off.
Binyamin Netanyahu is the legally select (not elected) prime minister of a country recognized since 1948. You’re a person who thinks putting a “terrorist” lable on him makes a difference. Sure, it could… but instead of making him into a terrorist, it makes you look stupid. Please don’t call your betters by names. Terrorists are not that guy.
Who’s a terrorist? That would be people who attack, shoot, knife, bomb, and missle-drop. The Russians in Ukraine. The Iranians in proxy wars (Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Afghanistan, etc.). Those are terrorists. Politiicians –whether we like or agree with their politics, party, platform, or methods– are not those people. (Clearly there are many more but while you won’t get the point, other readers will.)
Please make a note of it. I try to steer clear of politics here, as this is a discussion of view from the wing. To emphasize:
An FA said stuff that was not what he was supposed to be saying while on duty. Please don’t what-aboutism this into “Netanyahu is a terrorist” and nobody asked what your religion is yesterday.
E
P.S. If you have a point to make, try to seperate it from your hatred… and don’t try to excuse either by your limited affiliation with the group you self-hate to begin with.
Edud, you really are quite full of yourself with all that condescending, self-righteous, judgmental crap.
> Edud, you really are quite full of yourself with all that condescending, self-righteous, judgmental crap.
Sherri, I’m sorry you think this forum is a place for you to start conversations you’re unable to understand. Mangling people’s names is something they do in kindergarden or Trump properties. Watch your mouth.
Ehud Gavron says:
June 17, 2023 at 3:21 pm
> Edud, you really are quite full of yourself with all that condescending, self-righteous, judgmental crap.
“Sherri, I’m sorry you think this forum is a place for you to start conversations you’re unable to understand. Mangling people’s names is something they do in kindergarden or Trump properties. Watch your mouth”
Ehud, were you an only child or not have any playmates growing up? When someone comments and someone replies, that’s called a conversation, easily understood. If you expect to spout off some crap, expect to own it. There are no post and runs in the grown-up world.
Next time you reply to anyone, try reading previous comments so you don’t take things out of context like you did in your first comment to me. Also be sure you have your own facts straight before bringing up somebody looking stupid.
Was it just that you just couldn’t spell my name correctly in your first comment? I get that on several occasions but it was right in front of you so i thought it was perhaps intentional. Save your excuses since you have no room for others’.
Question: who made you the hall monitor? No need to answer, that was rhetorical.
I see you insist on having the last word smh I’ll end with my reply to your next comment to me, should you make one, and end it there:
idgaf, gtfoh, & gth.
Ehud Gavron says:
June 17, 2023 at 3:21 pm
“Sherri, I’m sorry you think this forum is a place for you to start conversations you’re unable to understand. Mangling people’s names is something they do in kindergarden or Trump properties. Watch your mouth”
Ehud, were you an only child or not have any playmates growing up? When someone comments and someone replies, that’s called a conversation, easily understood. There are no post and runs in the grown-up world.
Next time you reply to anyone, try reading previous comments so you don’t take things out of context like you did in your first comment to me. Also be sure you have your own facts straight before bringing up stupid.
Was it just that you just couldn’t spell my name correctly in your first comment? It was right in front of you so i thought it was perhaps intentional. Save your excuses since you have no room for others’.
Question: who made you the hall monitor? No need to answer, that was rhetorical.
I see you insist on having the last word smh I’ll end with my reply to your next comment to me, should you make one, and end it there:
idgaf, gtfoh, & gth.
Ehud Gavron says:
June 17, 2023 at 3:21 pm
“Sherri, I’m sorry you think this forum is a place for you to start conversations you’re unable to understand. Mangling people’s names is something they do in kindergarden or Trump properties. Watch your mouth”
Were you an only child or not have any playmates growing up? When someone comments and someone replies, that’s called a conversation, easily understood. There are no post and runs in the grown-up world.
Next time you reply to anyone, try reading previous comments so you don’t take things out of context like you did in your first comment to me. Also be sure that you, yourself, have your facts straight.
Question: who made you the hall monitor? No need to answer, that was rhetorical.
I see you insist on having the last word smh I’ll end with my reply to your next comment to me, should you make one, and end it there:
idgaf, gtfoh, & gth.
Ehud Gavron says:
June 17, 2023 at 3:21 pm
“Sherri, I’m sorry you think this forum is a place for you to start conversations you’re unable to understand. Mangling people’s names is something they do in kindergarden or Trump properties. Watch your mouth”
Were you an only child or not have any playmates growing up? When someone comments and someone replies, that’s called a conversation, easily understood.
Next time you reply to anyone, try reading previous comments so you don’t take things out of context like you did in your first comment to me. Also be sure that you, yourself, have your facts straight.
Question: who made you the hall monitor? No need to answer, that was rhetorical.
I see you insist on having the last word smh I’ll end with my reply to your next comment to me, should you make one, and end it there:
idgaf, gtfoh, & gth.
Interestingly, this is a story that’s still ongoing.
Various news sources (see below) have indicated that the RyanAir CEO has apologized for “an innocent mistake.” Given the bilingual use of English and Italian and the “likelihood” that random syllables escaping the FA’s mouth managed to create a situation worthy of police response, This will not go away quietly.
No matter how vexatious or politically inclined someone is to want to thrust their opinions on others, that is not part of the FA’s duties or responsibilities.
Newsweek indicate RyanAir apologized on the 15th:
https://www.newsweek.com/awaiting-video-ryanair-apologizes-after-flight-attendant-calls-israel-palestine-1807034
The Independent confirms this on the 17th:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ryanair-crew-tel-aviv-palestine-police-b2359461.html
The BBC quotes RyanAir CEO Eddie Wilson as saying it was an “innocent mistake”:
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-65927794
OMAAT suggests RA is possibly trying to “sweep this under the rug” and make it go away quickly:
https://onemileatatime.com/news/ryanair-palestine/
Happy father’s day to all. The insiders are on top of this including VFTW, TPG, OMAAT, SF, and with the big independent news sources carrying it… expect more to come.
There are plenty of places for small hateful people to hang out and spew their bile. I’m happy not to have been on that flight, and I hope those vexatious annoying gnats are removed from spewing their bile everywhere (including here).
Ehud