A disturbing video has surfaced showing an Indian-American family subjected to vile and racist remarks from a fellow passenger during a United Airlines flight from Cancun to Los Angeles. The incident, captured by the father, Pervez Taufiq, highlights the harassment they endured both on the aircraft and during a bus ride after landing.
The incident took place last week, as Taufiq, his wife, and their three young sons were returning home. It started when Taufiq was checking on his 11-year-old son, who was seated a few rows ahead of the family. According to Taufiq, a woman sitting next to his son became visibly irritated, attempting to move past him and asking him to allow her to get to her seat. Taufiq apologised, thinking the issue was over.
However, it became clear that the incident was far from resolved. Taufiq later learned that the woman had allegedly questioned his son about his Indian heritage during the flight, and her hostility did not end there. Once the plane landed and passengers boarded the shuttle bus to the terminal, the woman began hurling racist insults at the family. The entire encounter was recorded by Taufiq, who shared it on social media, where it quickly garnered attention.
In the footage, the woman can be heard berating the family, saying, “Your family is from India, you have no respect, you have no rules, you think you can push everyone, push, push, push.” She continued her rant, calling them “f–king crazy.” The slurs escalated when Taufiq sarcastically suggested she might want him to eat “more curry.” The woman responded by threatening to record Taufiq’s “f–king tandoori a*,” making the racial undertones of her outburst abundantly clear.
As the exchange continued, the woman accused Taufiq of being racist towards her. She went so far as to indicate that Taufiq was not an American, to which he calmly responded that he was, in fact, born in the United States. The woman, apparently unfazed, showed Taufiq her middle fingers, further escalating the conflict.
Speaking to the NY Post, Taufiq, a Boston native, explained that the verbal attack truly began when the family boarded the bus transporting passengers from the aircraft to the terminal. The woman appeared increasingly agitated, even snapping at Taufiq’s children to “shut up” while they were on the bus. At this point, Taufiq decided to start recording, capturing the entire tirade on video.
In the video, Taufiq can be heard telling the woman to “get off the bus” and calling her out for being racist. United Airlines employees can also be seen approaching the woman, attempting to de-escalate the situation. According to Taufiq, it was only after a bystander spoke up about the woman’s behavior that the airline staff decided to remove her from the bus. Taufiq also believes that the woman was intoxicated during the flight, which likely contributed to her aggressive behavior.
Reflecting on the incident, Taufiq said that he was grateful for the intervention of both the airline staff and some fellow passengers, who stood up for him and his family during the troubling ordeal. In an Instagram post, he expressed his appreciation for those who supported them, writing, “Blown away these types of people still exist. As photographers, we have seen a lot, but this is one we could have done without.”
Despite the harrowing experience, Taufiq remained composed throughout the encounter, ensuring that his family was safe while also standing up against the racist behavior directed towards them. His calm yet assertive handling of the situation has been praised by many who have viewed the footage online.
The incident serves as a stark reminder that racial discrimination is still prevalent in many aspects of society, even in seemingly ordinary places like a flight. Taufiq’s video, which has since gone viral, has sparked conversations about the need for airlines to address racial harassment more effectively and ensure that all passengers feel safe and respected while traveling.
United Airlines has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident, but Taufiq’s gratitude towards their staff suggests that they took appropriate action to remove the disruptive passenger. Incidents like these emphasize the importance of vigilance and the role of bystanders and airline personnel in de-escalating potentially harmful situations. It remains to be seen if further actions will be taken against the woman involved in the incident.