AhlulBayt News Agency: A Muslim woman from Winnipeg says she felt deeply humiliated after being asked to remove her hijab while boarding a flight at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
Kazi Amin was returning to Canada from a family trip to Bangladesh with her husband and children when an airline employee stopped her after customs clearance. The staff member claimed her face did not match the photo on her 2016 passport, which was taken before she began wearing the hijab.
Amin told Radio-Canada that the employee looked at her passport and then at her, saying she must remove her hijab. Despite explaining its religious significance, the staff insisted she take it off in public.
“I didn’t know what else to do,” Amin said. “I removed my hijab in public… We’re not allowed to do that except in front of family.”
Her daughter, Afsara Raidah, criticized the logic behind the demand. “I’m blonde now but could go back to dark hair—would they ask me to dye it back before boarding? It makes no sense,” she said.
According to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), religious head coverings do not need to be removed unless they trigger a security alarm. If further inspection is needed, it must be done in private. Amin said she was not offered this option.
Flair Airlines stated that the employee involved works for its ground services partner, AGI, and has been placed on leave pending investigation. CEO Maciej Wilk emphasized that all partners must uphold standards of respect and non-discrimination.
AGI issued an apology to Amin, but her daughter called it vague and impersonal. The family is now seeking legal advice. “This isn’t just about Muslim women—others have faced similar treatment. Staff need proper training,” Raidah said.
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