A married couple from Pakistan have filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that, after their plane was diverted following a fake hijacking threat, they were singled out and escorted from the plane in handcuffs for no reason other than their names.

“The only reason (police) went to them is because their names were Maheen Ghani Taseer and Shahbaz Ali Taseer,” the couple’s attorney told the AP. “They were singled out and treated as the most vile terrorists.”

Last August, their flight to New York City was diverted after someone phoned in a threat that the plane was going to be hijacked. The lawsuit claims that the couple were led off the plane in handcuffs and detained and interrogated for hours. The FBI ultimately determined the phone call had been a hoax.

The couple, who seek unspecified damages, claim to have suffered extreme humiliation and embarrassment and harm to their reputations.

A rep for the airline tells the AP that no American Airlines employees acted improperly and the company is moving to have the suit dismissed.

Pakistani couple sues airline over CA threat hoax [Sacramento Bee]

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