A photo circulating online alleges an American Airlines flight attendant was wearing a keffiyeh in uniform to show support for Palestinian resistance. The bigger issue is power: crew members control whether you fly and whether you get labeled disruptive. Political signaling from the people in charge of the cabin is a problem. It’s also against airline rules.
In the photo, a man is standing in the aisle wearing a red-and-white checkered scarf with tassels draped over his shoulders:
So a good friend just took off on an @AmericanAir flight.
This is his flight attendant.
Not normal. Not ok.
But a sign of the times.
How is this allowed?! pic.twitter.com/1YXupSgRhS
— Hillel Fuld (@HilzFuld) January 30, 2026
This is reportedly a flight attendant, who has authority over passengers – including Jewish passengers. Some in social media thinks this is great, and are thrilled that Jewish passengers are subjected to this. There are numerous antisemitic insults hurled in the comments of this post on Twitter.
- Here’s the version of the company’s flight attendant uniform standards that were issued when the current uniforms came out.
- Flight attendants break company policy all the time. We saw Let’s Go Brandon pins a few years ago. From time to time the airline will crack down on violations.
There’s a real concern with front line airline employees voicing political positions and aiming those at passengers. The issue is asymmetric speech. Airline employees exercise power over passengers – power over whether they’ll board and fly, or whether they’ll be considered “disruptive” for expressing their own contrary opinions. And bringing politics into the cabin is already enough of a problem with passengers doing it.
When Democrats were in power, United supported a flight attendant wearing a Palestine flag pin, absurdly claiming it was to indicate language skills. The flight attendant wasn’t from Gaza or the West Bank, and does not speak ‘Palestinian’. They were also confused, wearing both a LBGTQ+ rights pin alongside the Palestinian flag, not ralizing that these rights are respected in Tel Aviv but not in Gaza.
Then, once United began wanting things from the Trump administration, they began restricting flight attendant pins to the American flag.
What next, Gary, flight attendants wearing the kippah? Sikhs with kirpan?? Red hats??? *gasp*
30,000 plus Iranians have been slaughtered by their Muslim overlords in Iran. All those who virtue signal in support of the Palestinians are amazingly silent. I Wonder why?
I’m in agreement with the Poster (It is NOT OK) and with Gary (The Flight Crew does hold asymmetric power over the passengers). About the only resolution that I see would be to raise the issue with AA Corporate, and hope that they put a stop to it.
@David — I’m feeling hawkish. Have those carriers made it to the Persian Gulf yet? Light ‘em up!
To the best of my knowledge the red kafeya are worn by Jordanian tribes and nationals and the grey ones are the ones worn by Palestinians and their supporters
All the airlines have been slack post Covid about uniforms. What gets me is its called a UNIFORM. When I get on a Delta flight (Diamond here), I see one FA in the newest purple uniform, one in black pants and black top, another in the previous uniform (gray) and you just get a whole array of wearables. I find it sloppy and shows no one is paying attention. As for American, I’ll stay with Delta. I dont need that on my flight. Their politics should not be thrown to everyone on the flight and to many, its offensive b/c of what is stands for. Every airline needs more ‘inspectors’ to see if the cabins are clean (prior to letting people on), crew looks sharp, etc. And while I’m at it, both AA and DL have some very tired interiors. I know Delta is updating but I’ve yet to be on a new interior. I fly a lot of the 757 and the screens are so old they are a tarnished yellow, half the tray tables are broken and their 737 no better (and can you imagine thier 50 year old 767s for an international flight?!? Spend money, airlines, in your product.
That’s a No Go item What happened to standards? He’s also fat and sloppy.
And if he was Jewish and wearing a yamaka? We have no idea if this is part of his religion and thus protected expression. Did he treat anyone differently? That would be the issue. I’m not a fan of MAGA hats, but anyone can wear one if they leave me alone.
Fake.
No employee should express, display or demonstrate political views while on the job.
The only non-airline pins should be those that indicate that they are FLUUENT in another language.
If they want to express their views go to Facebook , X or Instagram and do it on YOUR OWN TIME.