'Completely violated': The 35-year-old was rudely exposed mid-flight. Photo / Getty Images
'Completely violated': The 35-year-old was rudely exposed mid-flight. Photo / Getty Images
A passenger has accused the budget airline of Islamophobia after cabin crew interrupted him for taking too long in the plane toilet.
Adil Kayani, who is a British-Pakistani from Birmingham, was flying from Morocco to Manchester on March 5th.
While using the plane toilet, he said he was interrupted bya loud knock on the door, to which he claims to have replied "I'll be out soon, hold on a minute."
However, after this, the air steward challenging Kayani forcibly opened the toilet door exposing the passenger.
He claims to have been in the toilet for only 15 minutes, when he was rudely interrupted by a crew member.
Adil Kayani: The British Muslim YouTuber recorded fallout from the 'embarrasing' incident. Photo / Close Shave TV, Facebook
The 35-year-old food wholesaler and YouTuber recorded the confrontation with cabin crew on his mobile phone, saying he felt "completely violated." The passenger attributes the embarrassment he was made to suffer to racial profiling and his Muslim faith.
When plane staff apologised Kayani felt further snubbed when he did not receive an apology from the intruding crew member.
Speaking to the Daily Mail Kayani said "I think it was racial discrimination. They can see the colour of my skin. I was racially profiled. It was discrimination. I think it is Islamophobic."
"I was made to feel like a criminal. It was really humiliating for me."
"He gives me not even two seconds before opening the door," Kayani said, videotaping fallout from the incident. "Then he gives me attitude for coming out."
He also claims to have refused a £500 ($970) "goodwill gesture" he was offered from EasyJet by way of apology.
EasyJet: 'No evidence to suggest that race played a role.' Photo / Nicolas Economou, Getty Images
"This is the first time anything like this has happened to me on any plane. The only way I can make sense of it is because of my racial background," said Kayani.
A spokesperson for the airline 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 on board including the well-being of the customer in the toilet.
"There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that race played a role."
