DansDeals has the story of how American Airlines allegedly removed an unaccompanied minor Orthodox Jewish passenger from a flight, due to the behavior of another Orthodox Jewish passenger who he didn’t even know…
Continue reading: American Airlines Accused Of Shocking Anti-Semitism
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
What does this mean?
"An investigation should definitely be performed me"
Seems like a typo but?
Also, what's the sourcing on this? I'm not sure the relevance of even having this post on here?
This feels like less anti-semitism and more a piss-poor assumption that two people who dress "differently" but similar to each other are related. Still really dumb on the crew either way, and if the 23A passenger's story is anywhere near accurate, then the crew deserves to be disciplined+retrained and compensation due to 23A.
@ Jason -- Sorry, "me" shouldn't have been in there, fixed. DansDeals spoke to the families involved. As I said, an investigation should be performed, but I think it's at least worth drawing attention to this so that American is forced to look into this more closely.
As we know, if someone simply reached out to American customer relations with this, they'd probably get an automated response.
I'm only spitting facts.
- Collective punishment is never appropriate.
- Orthodox Jews have a distinct appearance.
- AA personnel have a reputation for hostility.
I'm going to spit one more fact. Above, I said Orthodox Jews have a distinct appearance. They have a distinct culture, too. I am not an expert in the culture but I know it is very different from Anglo-Saxon norms. People who are not well versed in cultural diversity and/or who do choose not to tolerate a culture with very different norms tend to view Orthodox Jews with disdain. This is incredibly unfortunate.
This is Ben's blog and the relevance is what he wants it to be. I for one like to read this kind of articles.
@Ricky, I totally agree - this is Ben's blog to run as he sees fit. However, there's a lot of room for this story to grow with some more information. It's unfortunate that these two young men were apparently/ostensibly treated poorly by AA. However, immediately concluding that antisemitism was the root cause without fully knowing all of the details, is a bit of a leap at this point. We're still awaiting details as to the tone/tenor/content of the conversations between the passengers and AA, and also can we rule out plain ol' dumba$$ery on the part of AA as a root cause? Until I see more, I'm leaning toward a combination of dumba$$ery on all parties.
Looks like a case of mistaken identity.
But isn't it DansDeals that got Lufthansa in trouble.
I guess if you read through the editorial part from the source about how this young man seems to be a good and kind person who uphold his beliefs by having only a flip phone or how he found his way home. Totally irrelevant but Dans probably right some (obvious) stereotyping has happened on that day.
But no one ever wonder why no Karen ever come forward calling out about being discriminated from a mistaken identity yet.
And he's an unaccompanied minor??? Damn... Terrible exp but any half decent lawyer will ensure that 17 year old never has to worry about a student loan in his life
It's not editorial. Dan gave that background to explain
1) Why the two kids were traveling
2) Why they couldn't record the incident
3) Establish that they didn't know each other
Hi, Orthodox Jew here. I'm very surprised to learn that I apparently I have a very different culture than "Anglo-Saxon norms". If you could please educate me on my culture which I apparently don't know much about, that would be great.
AA appears to have had a valid reason for removing the 21 year old; no question other passengers observed/heard all the commotion, no question they wondered if the plane was safe. The 17-year old: I'm guessing AA doesn't put its most-qualified people on American Eagle flights. If the story pans out, my legal advice is to call the other lawyer, ask how much they want in today's money to make this go away, if that doesn't work, suggest arbitration.
Orthodox and hassidic Jews have an entirely different culture so your comment is ridiculous and my background is Jewish. I could go on and on how many don’t mix with gentiles. It’s not being xenophobic and is a fact.
They are also extremely litigious and a pain in tuchus when complaining. Any issues and they are straight on the phone to their friends who are lawyers.
In this case it’s nothing to do with religion and suspect something else which Ben knows absolutely nothing about as it’s hearsay. Americans are also the worst at playing the race and religion card. I agree it may have been poorly handled, but that’s normal in the USA as customer service there is generally dire.
A "piss poor assumption" that two people must be connected based purely on Jewish appearance = antisemitism.
Replace "visibly Jewish" with any other minority and see if it seems more racist than "piss poor assuming".
Something is missing in this story. The airline is going to drag off an unrelated, uninvolved passenger.
4) Why is it relevant?
Like is there actually a background needed to explain that might make it acceptable or unacceptable for anti-semitism?
@Icarus
I disagree on the part " Americans are also the worst at playing the race and religion card. "
Americans are the best, they use it all the time with everything everywhere. Sometimes you can retire off of it.
Try pulling a race and religion card in Asia the lao wai, gwai lo, gaijin, ang mo, farang, buleh. Let's see how much money would that get you.
"Orthodox and hassidic Jews have an entirely different culture so your comment is ridiculous" --> LOL, my comments ridiculous because you decided the culture is different without expanding other than some either anecdotal or outright made up evidence in the next line?
If you actually knew what you were talking about you'd know that there are many types of Orthodox Jews ranging from Modern Orthodox (who you likely would not know they are Jewish unless they are wearing yarmulka) all the way up to the Satmr sect which is ultra-religous and insular and there is a massive gap in between. To just make a blanket statement and just assert that all Orthodox Jews don't fit in culturally is absurd. And what does that even mean. America is a melting pot of cultures, so I'm not sure where you come off deciding some cultures don't fit in.
Any potential cultural differences also have nothing to do with this story. Where do any potential cultural differences at all come into play in the story?
You say also "Americans are also the worst at playing the race and religion card" yet you play that card when you claim that your background is Jewish (whatever that even means).
You also continue to dig your own grave by doubling down on the stereotyping "They are also extremely litigious and a pain in tuchus when complaining. Any issues and they are straight on the phone to their friends who are lawyers." --> I don't care that you supposedly have a Jewish background. this is just blatant stereotyping of a religous group.
I'm so glad you know the word tuchus though. Maybe you should get off of yours and actually go educate yourself.
Communal punishment based on ethnic, religious or ethno-religious appearance is racism. Racism against Jews is antisemitism. That the airline denied transport to the 17 year old because of his ethno-religious appearance being considered by them to be similar to the 21-year old who had a plane safety concern is racist/antisemitic discrimination.
Or what was communicated is off load a kid wearing a black suit and fedora.
Replace "the kid" with Michael Jackson and see if it seems more racist than "piss poor assuming".
Don't overestimate how people can actually judge any appearance.
The kicker to this story is that the dent in plane happened to be serious and the plane crashed killing everyone.
Maybe this was collective punishment like Israel is doing to Gaza after the Hamas terrorist attack?
If you like Biden, fly American Airlines. That is because AA supports Democrats. Continental (now United) supports Republicans. At least, that was the was it was when there was a Civil Aeronautics Board regulating domestic airfares and service. In those days, airlines made it no secret of the party they supported and were rewarded with routes depending on who had the White House. No kidding.
People trying to make this about the kid being Jewish lmao. When the kid is just an idiot. May 5th was national fentanyl awareness day too. Just saying.
Your counter comment does make me wonder though.
Is it not possible to be Jewish and still stereotype or not possible to be uneducated in the religion and still be a Jewish?
Like can you get expelled from being Jewish for the reasons above?
I feel like you're a bit too sensitive.
And can't any religion have friends who are lawyers?
Stereotyping would be They must have a friend who is a lawyer.
Shame on the pilot & crew for not doing basic DD. I have a feeling this will be a costly mistake.
Actually this year today, May 7, is national fentanyl awareness day.
@Alonzo go easy on the pills it makes you forget days.
Try rehab. Just saying.
The Orthodox always seem to cause issues wherever they go on aircraft and every airline imaginable. I am not anti semitic as the liberal and reform Jews do not cause the same problems. Eventually you have to stop blaming the airlines and start wondering if their intolerant and extremist attitudes are the cause.
Isn't anything that is perceived negative done or said about a Jewish person perceived to be to be an act of anti-semitism by the Jewish community nowadays no matter how bad the Jewish person has acted?
Not shocking. Likely not anti-Semitic either (coming from a Jew). Quite the headline given the constant disclaimer of only hearing one side.
Cha-ching, and rightfully so if this issue is as simple a matter as is presented here for the assumed innocent passenger. Disgusting behavior by the crew if true.
1. on the background in Judaism part - Icarus said they have a background in Judaism, I don't know what that means. But yes there are plenty of unaffiliated Jews who don't know much about Judaism. It's unfortunate because the global Jewish population is already so small, but it is what it is.
2. Of course it's possible to be Jewish and stereotype. You can be Jewish and even be antisemitic. If someone says that the Jews run the media, I'm not sure why they wouldn't be an antisemite even if they are Jewish.
3. Of course any religion can have friends who are lawyers but that's not what Icarus said. He instead grouped them all together and said "They are also extremely litigious and a pain in tuchus when complaining. Any issues and they are straight on the phone to their friends who are lawyers." --> As if we don't live in a country full of people who love to complain and a country where everyone loves to file endless lawsuits. But yeah, single out Orthodox Jews. It's also just entirely unclear what the basis of the assertion is.
Overall, even though there was no indication that there was any bad behavior by these kids (and certainly nothing to do with the "culture differences" Icarus is so bothered by) Icarus felt the need to make unprompted blanket statements about an entire sect of people for no reason.
You’re pretty stupid aren’t you and clearly support that orange criminal. Being Jewish and Israel aren’t the same
Removal of a passenger uninvolved in the incident is absurd, and if it's true AA deserves all that will come to it. The part of the story that is equally weird to me is the blacklisting of the 21 year old. Why would expressing a concern about the aircraft -- even if misguided -- be grounds for blacklisting. I have no problem with asking him to take a later flight. If the pilot, in his or her discretion, believed that he was unduly fixated on a subject and had the potential for disruption, this is the kind of hard call we want pilots to make. Hopefully, the passenger's appearance or religious affiliation didn't have anything to do with it. But, ok, this is what pilots do and they have to make quick, hard judgments. By why blacklist? Does AA really want an environment where pax are chilled from raising potential safety concerns? Seems pretty wrong headed.
AA considers unaccompanied minors as ages 8-14. A 17 year old can fly unaccompanied without any special considerations. The crew would have had no way of knowing the 17 year old and 21 year old were not connected, but they shouldn’t have assumed they were.
"You should know what you did" is an inappropriate response for ANYONE being taken off of a plane. It also appears the 17 YO may have been mistaken for the 21YO...then again, flat out anti-Semitism does seem apparent.
WHY didn't a crew member acknowlege the 21YO's concerns & let him know even if there was a small dent in the tail that it in no way would affect the safety of flying the plane?
This was handled so poorly...as a mother I have to say I likely would have tried to answer the 21YO's concerns or ask what he had done since he clearly had no idea!
I don’t see this as antisemitism. I think the assumption that two people of similar age wearing similar religious clothing are traveling together could have been made for two people of any religion that wears specific clothing.
Strange incident. Something tells me there is more to the story than this, though it’s not clear what it would be. If the passenger was belligerent about the dent, it would be grounds for removal. It’s strange that the 17-year-old was also removed, but I assume AA figured both of the guys were traveling together. This seems to happen more often on the regionals than mainline carriers. Delta had a similar case with Muslim passengers on Delta Connection. It’s all part of racial profiling.
Why didn't they simply thank him for his noticing the "dent", assure him it was okay, tell him to relax, and get on with the flight?
Are you “chosen” by God as superior to all other non-Jews? Gentiles are inferior, as are blacks, Hispanics and lesser individuals? Zion has supporters.
Well, for many reasons. We're all working on incomplete facts. Please be aware I'm not disputing any facts that have been introduced. I'm simply stating that there could be more facts pertinent to the story that we have not yet heard, and we are unlikely to ever hear.
Thanking, assuring, telling him to relax is a high-EQ move. Some personnel at the front lines have high EQs, but others don't. If everybody had high EQs, we would have a lot fewer mishaps, misunderstandings, and miscommunications. I firmly believe the US urgently needs to improve public schooling in EQ - far moreso than any academic subject - but that screed is for another day.
Another possibility which I am loathe to put forth but must do for the sake of completeness, is that the passenger was recalcitrant, agreeing only to sit back down after he was satisfied with an answer on his own terms. The pilot who ordered the passenger offloaded may have pegged the passenger as mentally unfit for travel.
The pilot was junior (because this was a regional jet flight, not mainline) and could have lacked the judgment that comes with experience.
Nice ChatGPT generated response! Absolute petulence and irreverence for CRITICAL THINKING.
LITERALLY nobody cares and we all understood the intended communication perfectly fine.
Pierre starts with the letter P, just like the words Pedant and Poopy.
Biglaw V10 Partner syarts with the letter B, just like BRAT. Something you clearly are. Journalists appreciate constructive feedback, like what Pierre posted above to increase the quality of the article.
Oh, and by the way, nobody appreciates petulance from an ineffectual, sad little child...
First, the 21 year old did nothing wrong. He was anxious about the dent. That sounds reasonable to me. Someone should have reassured him that it was fine, and explained why it was fine. While perhaps it was appropriate to remove him from the flight -- maybe he started acting agitated? -- he certainly should not have been blacklisted from AA for the rest of his life.
Second, removing the 17 year old also is straight up racial/ethnic/religious profiling. AA is going to have to cough up some $$, and rightly so, because this was just really dumb on AA's part.
Not likely. Biden has shown support for Hamas. He counts the Muslim vote carefully and realizes which side might get him reelected if at all possible.
So you're biggotted against religions and nationalities you think are "different" than your idea of average?
What if two people had had cross pins or pendants would you have assumed they were in colusion?
Mixing of meat and dairy is an Anglo Saxon norm.
Celebrating Christmas is an Anglo Saxon norm.
Tattoos are becoming an Anglo Saxon youth norm.
I don't know you but I do know many Orthodox jews and those are not their culture.
I agree with you. This could happen to anyone really and Ben kept mentioning it’s one sided lol.
And what might those "intolerant and extremist attitudes" be, pray tell? Does inquiring about a dent in the plane's tail qualify? And if not, do you know about some other "attitudes" exhibited by this or other Orthodox passengers that the rest of us don't?
Or maybe you are just a bigot?
No, it isn't, but your comment is pretty sus. You just assume Jews are always acting badly, with none of the facts.
Anglo Saxons got their norms from the Jewish Torah, silly. Jew who converted to Christianity here.
Oh, but you are an antisemite. I'm willing to bet you have not one shred of evidence or statistics proving what you claim.
After reading stories such as this. It has become blatantly clear one must never interact with the flight crew unless absolutely necessary. I have read other accounts where passengers are kicked off planes for literally a look. Do NOT expect any help from them EVER!!! Remain invisible.
So if one businessman in a suit gets drunk and belligerent, all businessmen in suits should be forced off the plane, since they are "traveling together"?
Give me a break. The two passengers were sitting over a dozen rows apart from one another. From the reported facts, there was no reason at all to think they were traveling together. This is profiling at its worst.
@Bo - Your statement is total nonsense at best. The flight crew had an obligation to know if they were traveling together, and even if they were, so what? If the 17 year old did nothing wrong, he shouldn't have been singled out. Unless he did something, this is antisemitism.
Everything is consider antisemitism, including the air and water. It is antisemitism to call a genocide a genocide. It is antisemitism to point out one group is 3% of the population and owns a disproportionate amount of wealth and makes up a majority of the cabinet from treasury secretary to homeland security secretary and Secretary of State.
Maybe it’s time we stop listening to 3% of the population and maybe consider if the critic of them is 100% justified.
Jew here! The answer to your question is no. But you assuming that all Jews are embracing a collective victimization narrative? Yes, that's pretty anti-semitic.
You're missing the point, I think. That the 21-year-old was removed after ignoring crew instructions isn't the problem. Nothing antisemitic about that. The problem is that, based on the report, a second person, completely uninvolved and seated 13 rows back in the plane, was hauled off the flight and blacklisted simply because he dressed like the troublemaker and was identifiable as a co-religionist.
Call it profiling, if you don't like calling it antisemitism. But it's hard to imagine American Airlines doing the same thing with, say, a Black passenger, a priest, or a member of many other groups. When something happens to Jews just because they are Jews, that's antisemitism.
Here's some additional information. There is basic proof that the two Jewish passengers weren't traveling together and likely didn't know each other before the flight.
The 21 year old is Yehudah Roffman. He is a yeshiva student studying in NYC. His family home is reported to be in Cleveland where he was for the Passover break.
The 17 year old is Reuvi Scheinerman. His home is in Cleveland Heights, about 10 miles from central Cleveland. He goes to a yeshiva in Connecticut.
Originally, Roffman wasn't scheduled to be on the same flight with Scheierman. He missed his flight due to the long lines at security and AA rebooked him on Scheierman's flight. (They weren't traveling together.)
While we still don't have all the facts of what happened, it's seems far more likely than ever that Scheierman was pulled off the flight merely because he is a Jew.
In addition, the pilot and flight attendant should be investigated as their #1 duty should be the safety of the passengers.
It's now been reported that the two weren't blacklisted and were offered flights the following day. The declined, both saying they'll never fly on American again. It's also been reported that Roffman rented a car. He apparently told Scheinerman he felt bad that they pulled him off the flight and offered to take him to Connecticut on his way to New York City. He accepted and the drove east together.
You win the grossest comment of the day award.
That is NOT an honour, pinhead.
At all points! Passengers being unjustly removed, is not only illegal and a violation of the ICAO Air Transport Standards, but a considerable blight on integrity and customer service.
Orthodox Jew here. You generalized about all Orthodox Jews. And not in a nice way. You expressed ignorance about them; Hasidic Jews ARE orthodox. We have a culture that is distinctive but completely as valid and legal as yours and generally compatible with the culture of societies in which we live. By necessity we spend most of our non work time with other Orthodox Jews because we must buy kosher food at the same few kosher markets, spend time in the same few synagogues in residential neighborhoods (at least 3x daily) that are walking distance to our homes for the sabbath and holidays, and we spend considerable time and money educating our children at the same orthodox Jewish schools because virtually all other schools are inadequate for our needs. You would know all this if you actually had a “Jewish background” that is meaningfully Jewish and not just some cultural or familial artifact.
Agreed. It’s almost like living every day with the idea that you’re “god’s chosen people” makes you rude an entitled. Imagine that.
How do you know they were unjustly removed ? It’s hearsay. You didn’t witness it. Just read a blog.
Absolutely BS. it’s because they happen to be Hassidic that everyone assumes. Clearly something happened and they are just claiming innocence and playing the discrimination card. No smoke without fire.
To add they are not minors as they are generally under 16. Something is very fishy here and the suspect they did know each other.
Not everyone who would agree with this post is christian. Or religious at all.
Doesn't every faith based religion make the same mistake though? The number one point of religion is to give practitioners an excuse to feel superior to outsiders.
That comment per se is discriminatory. The actions of the airline personnel as depicted are antisemitic, simply because hasidic jews are very distinctive in their way of dressing. The fact that these same jews lead a rather secluded life could have led to the 21YO to be worried about the supposed dent. The insistence is based on anxiety and the airline personnels reaction is antisemitic given they took out of the plane someone who5had no relation to the perceived troublemaker. So yes this is an antisemitic action
There is no possibility for the crew to know if passengers are travelling together. Any group can purchase tickets individually.
The moral of the story is you should never ask your mother's advice about dents.
No good will come of it.
Yes, US FAs being once again on a power trip and way about their cognitive capabilities.
You forgot to mention our crime of using Cristin children blood to make matza for passover. Being Middle Eastern, I prefer a Coptic taste to my matza 🙂
What do I make of this incident? Absolutely nothing. It seems that Dansdeals is keen on taking offence. Despite doing a "special investigation" there is no indication that they even tried to talk to AA. Wow what a special and deep investigation, only trying to talk to the accusers.....
Based on the comments, Icarus does not like Jewish people very much otherwise why would you be so defensive or care? What a sad person.
Now this is one of the most antisemitic tropes. David Arnett is obviously an anti semite
I am an airline pilot. As long as the aircraft door is open, the flight crew, both pilots and flight attendants have NO AUTHORITY. The GSA has the responsibility and authority of that flight.
As for the flight crew member’s interaction, I have had all kinds of questions from customers. You simply treat them with respect and answer their questions as best you can. Our industry continues to nose dive in customer service. When will it stop?
And remember, their are always 3 sides to every story.
Actually, if you read the entire article, you would see that we did speak to American, but they insisted that the contents of the call be off the record and not published.
They have refused to provide any official statement that can be shared.
That's all that you can think of, Kanye?
No Wendy's anymore?
Go to rehab, you need it.
"After a black passenger was removed for not adhering to crew instructions, a second black passenger was removed from the flight as there were no other black passengers on board it was assumed they were traveling together."
Do you not see this as racism either?
The headline states this is an accusation. The reason there isn't a second side to the story is because AA refused to go on the record.
So how exactly is this story as presented not anti-Semitic? The second passenger was removed entirely because of his appearance as a Jew.
Dents are visible when you have normal shaped glutes without excess fat to round out the butt cheek.
I would like to hear an explanation from American Airlines before drawing any conclusions.
Do these particular orthodox Jews support Israel's war crimes in Gaza? If so, they are only receiving a miniscule fraction of the collective punishment they believe in.
The "3 sides to every story" is a big scam trying to get you to admit guilt under the fear of being wrong. It prays on fear, forces you to second guess yourself.
Stop spreading this lie. There's 3 sides only on a flat earth.
There is only 2 sides to every story. What really happen never mattered. The late OJ and countless others can attest to that.
If an African American got on the nerves of a flight attendant, does anyone think they would have kicked him off the plane? If there was another African American sitting in the back somewhere, would they have kicked out the other passenger also? The same questions are applicable if this were about a Muslim, or an Asian American!
@Dan
Well, if it was investigative journalism, you'd post it when you had completed your investigation. Not when you had a chit chat with one side. The way it is now is just sensationalism. Go talk to the gate agents, the cabin crew, and the cabin crew, then come back with a deep investigation.
As in a divorce, no matter how hard they try neither side is in possession of the full truth.
Pretty much coincidence. Just 2 Jews doing their Jewish thing, and since they all look alike they should be held accountable for each other's behaviors. Bottom line- when in doubt do the only correct thing and blame them Jews.
First of all, I'm not a journalist, but that doesn't mean I can't investigate. I've been down this rodeo before with Lufthansa and other airlines. No employees will say a word to media. I'd have loved to speak to a passenger on the flight, but have yet to locate one.
If the airline refuses to say anything on the record there's nothing else I can do.
As an Arab, I think you should read Hamas’ first charter, then the updated 2nd one. Then , for more heartwarming calls for peace and universal understanding, watch them on TV where they pray to eliminate all Jews and set up a caliphate in whatever borders they’ve decided is Palestine.
Like the person who asked the WN pilot a while back if he was sober, questioning the integrity of the airframe is also questioning the integrity of the pilot and the integrity of their walk-around. Trust in your pilots, those walk around are done for a reason, and if anything abnormal was spotted, protocol would be followed to address it.
Jezekiah 3:16 says, “The Lord God sees abomination looking at dent. And thou should not look at the dent. Thou shalt be cast from the heavens.” So AA merely followed the word of God and the 2 naughty hassidics got what God wanted. Maybe the Lord will cast them into Christian lake of fire.
Would American Airlines have removed two Muslim passengers who didn't know each other?
Would American Airlines have removed two Mormonn passengers who didn't know each other?
How about two Asians? Two African Americans?
Complaining about war crimes and then suggesting collective punishment should be a thing in the very next sentence. You chickens for KFC are a funny bunch, I'll give you that!
Hi, I learned of this incident at school today, as I am the 17-year-old's general education teacher. He is a respectful and truthful young man. Yes, he will stand out as an orthodox Jewish young man as his clothing is traditionally black pants, a white shirt, a black or dark blue blazer, and a derby hat. He spends his days in religious studies, then late afternoons with general studies like science, math, English, and Social studies, per educational law for a school, has dinner, and returns to religious education until later in the evening. I am not Jewish, and neither are several of the other teachers, and I respect their choices and family choices in life. Unfortunately, The young man had no choice but to get a family member to drive him from Cleveland to his destination in Connecticut. They drove all night to get him back to his Yeshiva (school) for Monday. I agree with the article's author, who said they could have de-escalated the situation easily but chose to do things the hard way. I, too, am a pilot (hobbyist) with a VFR, IFR, and Ground School instructor license and believe that the crew did not want to de-escalate the situation either due to them wanting to get things moving to depart on time or that they (and I hate to say it this way) look down on their passengers and expect them to comply as sheep. Why can't we respect each other as humans and use common sense?
American Airlines will have a lawsuit on their hands in the case of the 17 year old. I’m an aircraft Maintenance technician. The crew ignored the 21 year olds concerns. They could have easily said to the passenger that the dent you speak of has already been addressed in the book and is within limits. Then reassure the passenger that it is safe for flight. They didn’t do any of those things from the report. The crew needs retrained. Instead of kicking off two passengers like they did.
What a silly and uninformed comment. AA does not hire and staff the American Eagle flights. They are separate airlines. This was a Republic Airlines flight. They are based in Indianapolis, IN. And they don’t put their “most qualified” on the regional flights? You gotta be kidding me. “Yeah, Capt Julie kinda sucks…what’s the crappiest route we can give her? Oh, look…there is a Cleveland flight going to New York. That will work. Hey Julie! Grab you crap…you’re working the Cleveland flight. And just for good measure, take plane N888HQ…it’s as crappy as you are.” Yeah…makes perfect sense.