Group seeks apology from United Airlines after Muslim family removed from flight

The Chicago chapter of a Muslim advocacy organization is seeking a formal apology from United Airlines after it says a Muslim family from Libertyville was removed from a plane before it took off from O'Hare International Airport last month.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Chicago also is calling for disciplinary measures and sensitivity training for crew members.

The family was removed from the plane March 20 after they requested an additional strap for their youngest child's booster seat before the flight to Washington, D.C., according to CAIR-Chicago.

"Following a discussion with the flight attendant about the strap and a request to remove the booster seat (which they did), the family was asked to show their tickets and told to leave the flight," a CAIR-Chicago news release stated, adding no reason was given for their removal.

United Airlines said in a statement that the family was originally scheduled to take a SkyWest flight operating as United Express.

"But we rebooked them on a later flight because of concerns about their child's safety seat, which did not comply with federal safety regulations," the statement said. "Both United and SkyWest hold our employees to the highest standards of professionalism and have zero tolerance for discrimination."