Sen. Kirk Urges FAA to Investigate Delta Rumors

Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., is concerned about rumors of potential discrimination on a U.S. airline, The Hill reports. USA Today on Thursday cited talk from the Internet that as part of Saudi Arabian Airlines' agreement to join Delta's SkyTeam alliance, Delta would enforce a Saudi ban on passengers from Israel.

Delta denied the rumor, saying it has a non-discrimination policy. But Kirk called Friday for the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate whether Delta kept Jewish passengers off its planes.

"I am deeply concerned by the June 23, 2011, report in USA Today entitled 'U.S. Jews not able to fly on Delta flights to Saudi Arabia,'" Kirk wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. "If true, this policy appears to violate the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause while undermining the purpose of the Federal Aviation Administration – to promote the safety and expansion of U.S. civil aviation.”