EasyJet passenger left ‘completely violated’ after cabin crew burst in on him on the toilet
The passenger said he was ‘racially profiled’
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Your support makes all the difference.A passenger said he felt “completely violated” after an easyJet flight attendant burst in on him while he was using the aircraft toilet.
Adil Kayani, 35, accused cabin crew of racial profiling after they manually unlocked the lavatory door, claiming he’d taken too long.
The food wholesaler from Birmingham was on a flight from Marrakech to Manchester when the incident occurred on 5 March.
“There was a heavy knock on the door,” he said. “I shouted ‘I’ll be out soon hold on a minute’.
“But then the lock turned from red to green. Someone had opened it from the outside and forced their way in.
“I was still sat on the toilet and I was completely exposed.
“I shouted get out and he shut the door immediately.
“They didn’t do this to anyone else on the flight. It’s not as if I was in the toilet for a long time.
“I feel completely violated.”
Staff claimed he was in the toilet for over 15 minutes, while Kayani argues it can’t have been more than 10.
He alleges the incident was racially motivated due to his Pakistani heritage and Muslim faith.
“I think it was racial discrimination,” said Kayani. “They can see the colour of my skin.
“I was racially profiled. It was discrimination. I think it is Islamophobic.”
After being burst in on, Kayani returned to his seat where another member of cabin crew came and explained it was part of their safety and security policy.
He complained to the airline when back in the UK and was offered £500 as a goodwill gesture, but he turned it down.
“I feel like my dignity was violated and my dignity is more important than the money,” he said.
”I’m just not happy with that. I want a proper apology from the individual who I feel was not only dismissive, but extremely rude and arrogant.
“I was made to feel like a criminal. It was really humiliating for me.
“That is the first time anything like that has ever happened to me. The only way I can make sense of it is because of my racial background.”
EasyJet has denied allegations of racial profiling.
A spokesperson said: “easyJet is sorry if Mr Kayani is unhappy, however the cabin crew correctly followed safety procedures by knocking on the toilet door and then opening it after there was no answer following a concern that a passenger had been inside for some time.
”This procedure is in place to ensure passenger safety of all passengers onboard including the wellbeing of the customer in the toilet.
“There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that race played a role.”
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