Have a seat

As a modern-Orthodox woman, I am appalled and outraged by El Al’s response to the demands of four unruly ultra-Orthodox passengers (“Despite court order, El Al flight delayed over mixed-seating flap,” June 25). While the airline may not interfere with a person’s religious beliefs, individual passengers have no right to impose their beliefs and observances on others.

In this case, El Al chose to ignore a court order and to inconvenience hundreds of people. No doubt, had any other passenger refused to sit down because he didn’t like his seat mate’s race or nationality he would have been forcefully removed from the aircraft and rightly so!

Travelers should be told when purchasing their tickets that they will have no option other than to sit in the seat they are assigned. If they cannot accept this condition, then they must make other travel arrangements. Once on board, passengers who refuse to comply with flight crew instructions should be removed from the aircraft immediately, with no refund, compensation or rebooking services.

El Al’s total lack of consideration for its other passengers and its failure to comply with a valid Israeli court ruling on this subject have convinced me never to fly El Al again. PAULETTE COHEN Zichron Yaakov

When arranging airline tickets, if one has special meal requirements, it must be arranged in advance. So too, if haredim have specific seating preferences, there should be required arrangement in advance (with the airline or an agent). If not, seating objections on the airplane should not be tolerated. AURI SPIGELMAN Jerusalem