Ahluwalia, who is famous for his role in Wes Anderson films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and for being the first Sikh man to model for Gap, was flying back to attend the New York Fashion Week. The Indian-American actor and designer Waris Ahluwalia was prevented from boarding an Aeroméxico flight from Mexico City to New York because he refused to remove his turban.
"This morning
in Mexico City, I was told I could not board my Aeroméxico flight to New York
City because of my turban," Ahluwalia wrote on his Instagram account,
along with a picture of him holding his boarding pass.
Aeroméxico, which is
the largest airline in Mexico, issued a statement
on Feb. 8, saying that it was committed to carrying all passengers irrespective
of religion or gender. However, it added that it was "required to meet
federal safety requirements determined by the Air Transport Authority of the
United States for review of selected passengers travelling to the United
States" and that "it regrets the inconvenience that any passenger may
perceive from the application of these procedures."
Four hours later, he posted another photograph in front of the Aeroméxico desk. "Dear NYC fashion week, I may be a little late as Aeroméxico won't let me fly with a turban. Don't start the show without me," he wrote.
His latest update from Mexico City at night read, "13 hours later. Still in Mexico City. No traveller should be subjected to what I was today. All we're asking for from Aeroméxico is an apology and education/training of the staff."
