UPDATE: Video Interview w/ Ajna
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What would *you* do if you were seated on a plane, ready to take off, and suddenly two airline employees tell you to get up and leave?
Around 8am this morning, Attorney Ajna Sharma-Wilson was detained without explanation on a Frontier Airlines flight in LA. She is a lawyer who plays a critical role in defending the rights of people to consume and procure the foods of their choice. Fortunately, Ajna recorded the interaction. In the audio, which was recorded by her smartphone, Ajna can be heard asking all the right questions.
She asks the names of all involved, though they are reluctant to answer, and says, quote, “Please repeat what you said to me.” She also asks a nearby passenger to write down his phone number so that she may call him as a witness.
Ajna was eventually escorted from the plane under duress. Instead of offering an explanation to their customer, the airline employees threatened to call the authorities. She missed her flight because of the ordeal, and is now stuck at the airport. No explanation has yet been given. Stay tuned to Peace News Now for updates as they develop.
In the meantime, listen to the shocking audio that Ajna captured. And take a note from her! If something is happening around you that isn’t right, it is *your* responsibility to be prepared and to act quickly to get an objective record like Ajna did. She also sent out a blast email to friends and supporters to spread the word of this far and wide. This shouldn’t happen to anyone, but it can serve as an excellent model for others to follow if you find yourself in a similar situation.
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Everyone deserves an explanation as to why something is/ has happened. I would not want to be in this situation and the airline should investigate this incident thouroughly. It is unacceptable to be booted from your seat and delayed / detained unless there is justification. As a business owner, I wouldn’t want my staff to treat my customers in this way. Need to get to the bottom of it so it doesn’t happen again.
Ok, finally someone is doing something to help all citizens. I am on board with you. Finally! I hated to hear about the TSI getting hurt and one killed IT is not right to hurt anyone! What is going on with this world where we cant even take our water with us on the plane. I feel that Frontier Airlines is a small company and should be even nicer and help their customers whenever possible They need to hired better people who like people and want to work with them and not violate them. Ajna does that, she works hard to help people. She went to law school for a good reason–to protect and preserve peoples’ rights.
My opinion on this very important subject is that the airlines really violated her rights. If I was in her shoes, I would have been very upset. I feel that the man who took her off the airlines should have been more discreet when demanding for her to get off the seat. He as an official airline personnel should have used better judgement to not humiliate her in public. She is an important public figure and must have been respected! I listen to the tape carefully and watched her other cases as publicized. I hope ajna will make sure that my rights are protected in the future by doing something about this. No one should do this ever again!! Kevin R.
I am young and yet to experience the real world. But reading this article upsets me. RACIAL PROFILING IS WRONG! I have seen this person, ajna on TV on Dr. Phil She was dynamic. Picked the wrong girl to abuse Frontier Airlines. Shame on you. Equal Rights of Ajna was violated. Why wouldn’t they tell her privately what she did wrong–and again why would they let her on and get her seated. The person who singled her out must apologize in public as they had embarrassed her in public. Wrong! You need to pay her for her flight, time lost, and all the wrong doing!!! I am so mad just to hear this type of treatment! Davis, L age 17
As I learned in school, ” We hold these truth to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalielnable rights that among these are life, liberty and pursued of happiness.” (from Declaration of Independence.)
Jason, no fight! No cause, as you heard on the tape that AJna recorded, they did not give any explanation. You are correct in saying that all the facts should be in order. But it has been nearly a week and the Frontier Airlines has yet to complete their investigation. Doesn’t that tell you something? They made a huge mistake, picking on Ajna! She is an upstanding citizen and will fight for you, if you were violated. Read some of the work she has done for the farmers.
Moosemeadows, make it simple. Immediate public exposure to violating someone’s civil rights is necessary! What do you mean by “..to ensure that one is ready for the unknown.” Dignity is our power and must be respected. No one should or will have the right to strip anyone of their dignity. In summation we need to band together and get this public transportation company to retrain their staff so that this type of “crime” is never committed towards humanity.
(not good enough)
Customer By Web Form (Jeremiah Johnson) – 11/12/2013 01:06 PM
I’m very upset with the lack of information, and treatment of Ajna at your facilities in L.A.X. With no explanation she was removed from a flight and detained. Most of us in the world are getting fed up with the racial profiling that has been going on since 9/11 and this looks like another example of that. Myself and a few of my friends who do fly with your airline at times are refusing to do so in the future unless you either explain this situation or release an apology to Ajna.
Thank you,
J
Response Via Email(Brittany) – 11/12/2013 09:49 PM
Dear Mr. Johnson,
Thank you for contacting Frontier Airlines Customer Relations.
Please know we are aware of the situation and we are working and in contact with Ms. Sharma-Wilson directly.
We hope to have the ability to one day welcome you onboard a future Frontier Airlines flight.
Sincerely,
Brittany
Frontier Airlines
Customer Relations
Yes everyone should be treated with respect and dignity. And no, nobody should be racially profiled. But before everyone gets all up in arms about it, maybe we should hear all the facts. How did she treat the airline employees? Don’t they deserve respect too. An airline doesn’t remove someone from a flight without cause..
I can really appreciate the sound mind to take best procedures in such situations. Listening to the audio it is difficult to understand the voices of others then the recorder. I do wonder if the immediate public exposure is the best idea. My suspicioun is that until the details are known in a situation precautions may be taken to ensure that one is ready for the unknown. The problem with immediate execution of precautionary process is that it also will disable the authorities from their own subjectivity and ability to act in your favor. I f we look upon history, we will find many instances where the truth was able to exist and survive by account of the conscious mind of those playing the roles of the moment. The events of the day account for increasing pressure toward control and disregard for fundamental rights, the stakes are high which forces a bleeding out into all aspects of our lives.
give me a break! I heard she was rude to the gate agent because she had to pay for her carry on bag. Sorry but do your homework people! Most airlines have fees. Read the fine print. I think it’s funny that everyone cries “boo hoo” airlines treat passengers poorly…how about, “stop treating airline employees like garbage. They don’t deserve to be yelled at and insulted. I believe there is more to the story than poor little fruit attorney gets thrown off a plane. An airline wouldn’t throw someone off for no reason at all!
Hi Jason: I understand your skepticism. Just learn from what happened to me . When this happens to you grab your cell and record…. There are three sides to this story…. Mine…. Theirs and the recording…… This is about taking responsibility not perpetuating control and fear…..
I would be also furious and I would pursue every resource available to me to rectify this shameful act.
Well the only other side I can see of this, which is marginal at best, is that the TSA and everyone is on edge from the shooting that just happened recently. It still gives no excuse to talk to someone in that manner though.
The gate agent’s ~ agent’s question or comment at 0:02 or 0:03 is inaudible.
So, correct. I thought the same but no reason for the employee to humiliate their customer in this manner. She was shocked when she was approached by the personnel after she settled in her seat. If there was a problem then they should have handled it in a much better way. I agree. I don’t think I ever flew on Frontier, at this point probably don’t want to. I hae to admit that I had arguments with my airlines, United and they often handled it in a way to make me understand and feel better and enjoy the remainder of my trip. What concerns me is that the airline personnel was unstable and could have harmed Ajna even more. Let’s make a move to make Frontier Airlines better in order to serve their customers with respect.
Seriously. Who was it that singled out and why? Did she threaten someone? Is she on her way somewhere to defend a food rights activist and the big AG conglomerate found her? What the heck? I’m ready for the rest of the story.
Frontier Airlines aw you messed with the wrong person. Big mistake!! Ajna is a young Brilliant attorney. so proud of my girl for staying cool under pressure. hahaha but that’s what she is does best.
civil rights are for everyone whose happiness is taken away or limited. Remember the colored woman on the front of the bus? I don’t remember her name but her happiness came from sitting at the front of the bus and her civil rights were violated.
Rosa Parks
Her name was rosa parks. 😉
Asdio Her name was Rosa Parks.
Rosa Parks? She wasn’t in the front of the bus for her ‘happiness’. She was there as a symbol, groomed to be such by the civil rights movement. It was no accident that this happened. Which is not really the point, since obviously her refusal to move to the back of the bus was a needed gesture to give the civil rights movement a face to rally behind. I don’t think anyone is ‘happy’ necessarily to ride the bus in any seat, frankly.
Civil rights (1. the rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.) are about affording all people the same rights, regardless of race, sex, religion, etc. And those rights should be available to everyone. Removing a person from an airplane with no explanation and detaining that person so that they miss their next possible flight, that’s a violation of her rights as an American, and as a consumer. Shame on this airline. And on the TSA.
I met you at the Mark Baker hearing last summer. Sharing this far and wide in my circles. Not fair! Shame on them….they may well regret picking on an attorney!
I am anxious to find out what the reason was for this. Please keep us posted. Ajna, my thoughts are with you. If I know you at all, you will not let this go. Hold those who made this decision accountable.
this is ridiculous and racial discrimination
I went to School with this Amazing Young Lady, She is so laid back ad a whopping around 100lbs soaking wet. So I cant see her as a threat. I would not want to be in this Airlines Position. I am thinking this was a big mistake on there part and on the part of who initiated the reason for the actions taken. Chef Smoke there Butts over this treatment. Your awesome and a Amazing Person. much love and respect sent your way.
An attorney should know how to deal with this sort of situation. Unfortunately the rest of us also need to know. http://www.flexyourrights.org/10-rules/
sharing this with every major independent media source
yo Derek, where is the audio link?
Thank you for reporting this and including audio!
I know Ajna from undergrad. She’s an amazing person. On the spectrum of people who an airline should be “suspect” of and kick out of a flight, she’s at the opposite end. Frontier made a huge mistake, because she’s also a powerful attorney.
I’m so tired of this stuff. I feel enraged and helpless.
THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY MUST STOP. IF THE TSA AND THE AGENTS FOR ALL AIRLINES WERE TRAINED IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE AND PERSONALITIES, WE MAY HAVE LESS PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ISSUES THAT THEY BRING TO WORK WITH THEM AND THEIR BRAIN CELLS ARE CLOUDED. GET SOME DECENT PEOPLE WHO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND HUMAN NATURE.
GENERALLY SPEAKING MOST ARE RUDE AND HAVE NO PERCEPTION OR INSIGHT ON TRAVELERS. TRAVELERS ARE SOMETIMES TIRED AND HAVE TO GET DIRECTIONS AND ASK FOR INFORMATION: MOST OF THE TIME THEY GET ACCOSTED AND HUMILIATED. I HAVE SEEN IT! RETRAIN YOUR PERSONAL STOP THE CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY!!! AJNA’S TREATEMNT WAS WRONG AND MUST BE ADDRESSED.
I think it is absolutely ridiculous how the airlines treat customers. I believe they need to train their employees better when it comes to customer service. As a consumer, I demand respect. I am a law abiding citizen and a tax payer and when I pay for anything, I expect to receive my good or service. From one consumer to another you make them pay for what they have done to you. The airlines need to understand that certain things will not be tolerated.