Praying Jew Ordered off Air Canada Flight

Jewish leaders in Montreal are criticizing Air Canada's Jazz airline for removing an Orthodox Jew from a flight for rocking in his seat while he prayed.

The incident happened last Friday as a flight from Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport was preparing to take off for New York, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., reported.

Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stewart said more than one passenger complained, and the aircraft returned to the gate after a flight attendant was unable to communicate with the man, the report said.

"The passenger did not speak English or French, so we really had no choice but to return to the gate to secure a translator," Stewart said.

Fellow passenger Yves Faguy said he didn't see any reason for removing the man, whom he said was "clearly a Hasidic Jew."

"He wasn't exactly praying out loud but he was lurching back and forth," Faguy told the CBC.

The airline said the man flew to New York on the next flight without incident.

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