But cases in which airlines force passengers to surrender their seats are regulated and in a long-term pattern of decline. That year, passengers filed 94 civil rights complaints against U.S. airlines and those flying into the country, according to federal data. The uptick in these cases could represent a new and intense round in the tug of war between national security and civil rights. The couple, who are Lebanese-American, say United Airlines and its partner operator SkyWest gave them conflicting information about using a booster seat for their 2½-year-old daughter. “These incidents do not happen in a vacuum,” said Brenda F. Abdelall a staff member with the civil rights organization Muslim Advocates.

Source: Washington Post April 16, 2017 16:08 UTC