#StandWithWaris
A Sikh actor has claimed he was barred from boarding an Aeromexico plane because of his turban.
Indian-American Waris Ahluwalia, who is also a designer, said he was prevented from boarding after he refused to remove his turban in public.
The incident happened during additional security checks before a flight from Mexico City to New York.
Aeromexico said it had complied with security protocols and it regretted any "inconvenience".
He posted a picture of the ticket on his Instagram account. It carried an "SSSS" stamp, an acronym for Secondary Security Screening Selection, an airport measure that selects passengers for additional screening. The selection is said to be random.
Ahluwalia, who has appeared in The Grand Budapest Hotel and starred in a campaign for American clothing brand GAP, said he was on his way to New York Fashion Week.
In an interview with the New York Daily News, Ahluwalia said he had complied with the additional checks but refused to remove his turban when he was asked by airline personnel to do so.
I #StandWithWaris I'm sure all wives like me who have a turban-wearing, bearded husband think 'that could be us'. Not cool. Not okay
— Rupinder Kaur (@_rkaur) February 8, 2016
"That is not something that I would do in public," he was quoted as saying. "That's akin to asking someone to take off their clothes."
Ahluwalia added that when he said he would not take his turban off without going to a private room, he was told that he would not be flying and would have to book another flight.
Sikh Man Barred From FlightWTF moment of the day: Sikh American actor and model Waris Ahluwalia was barred from a flight for refusing to remove his turban.
Posted by AJ+ on Monday, February 8, 2016
"I was shaking at first," he told the News. "That's not a nice thing to be told, that you are not allowed to fly on this plane because of something you are wearing, or because of your religious beliefs."
#StandWithWaris because that is the human thing to do. #sikh
— Naureen Singh (@Naureenksingh) February 8, 2016
#StandWithWaris He's a Sikh & his turban is his crown! Educate yourself @AeroMexico
— BapuSuratSingh (@bapusuratsingh) February 8, 2016
Being a Sikh, I #StandWithWaris
— Jaskaran Singh (@iJKarora) February 8, 2016
In a statement, Aeromexico said that he was asked to go through "screening and inspection before boarding, in strict compliance with TSA protocol" - a reference to the US Transportation Security Administration.
"We have offered the passenger alternatives to reach his destination as soon as possible", it said.
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