I just did a quick check of the headlines and ran across this:
“A U.S. Airways flight from New York to Louisville was diverted to Philadelphia over a misunderstanding about a Jewish prayer ritual, Philadelphia police said.”
It would seem that a 17-year old was putting on tefillin, a small set of black boxes containing biblical prayers. These boxes are attached via long leather straps to the head and arm of a Jewish man during week-day morning prayer. Strange looking to the uninitiated, for sure, but nothing menacing. Anyway, the flight crew was worried about these boxes and questioned the teen, who explained their use. Still concerned, the crew alerted the pilot, who then decided to land the plane early.
And on behalf of your New-York-based flight crew, we’d like to welcome you aboard U.S. Airways flight 3079.
I love the punchline. Having lived in New York, I can say that it is hard for anyone to appreciate just how multicultural it is and the awareness/acceptance that the typical New Yorker has for the various cultures that make up daily life in the city.