Spanish budget carrier Vueling has categorically denied allegations of antisemitic discrimination after removing 52 French Jewish children and their adult supervisors from a Valencia-to-Paris flight, sparking international condemnation and formal complaints from French authorities.
The incident occurred on Wednesday evening aboard Vueling Flight VY8186 at Valencia’s Manises Airport, involving children aged 10 to 15 returning from a summer camp organised by Club Kineret. The controversy has intensified following revelations about the flight captain’s background and inflammatory comments from Spanish officials.
French authorities are now questioning the airline to establish whether the group of young French nationals were removed from the plane because they are Jewish, with France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot personally contacting Vueling’s CEO to express “deep concern” about the incident.
Conflicting Accounts of Flight Incident
Vueling maintains the passengers were ejected due to safety concerns, asserting in an official statement that some passengers “engaged in highly disruptive behaviour and adopted a very confrontational attitude, putting at risk the safe conduct” of the flight. The airline claimed the group tampered with emergency equipment and disrupted mandatory safety demonstrations.
However, Club Kineret has filed formal complaints against the airline, with their legal representative Julie Jacob stating they will pursue charges “for physical and psychological violence, as well as discrimination on the basis of religion”, noting that most participants were under 15 years old.
Seventeen-year-old passenger Samson provided a contrasting account to AFP, explaining that “one of my friends shouted a word in Hebrew because he was still a bit in holiday-camp mood,” adding: “Perhaps he said it too loudly.” He insisted the group immediately complied when told to stop making noise.
Multiple witnesses report that cabin crew made inflammatory remarks about Israel, with some sources claiming staff called Israel a “terrorist state,” though these allegations remain unverified by independent sources.
Pilot’s Shocking 9/11 Connection Emerges
The controversy deepened dramatically when Vueling confirmed that Captain Iván Chirivella, who ordered the passengers’ removal, had previously trained two of the September 11 hijackers. Chirivella taught Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi to fly at Jones Aviation in Florida in 2000, approximately one year before the terrorist attacks.
In a statement, Vueling confirmed: “Iván Chirivella, originally from the Canary Islands and a pilot at Vueling since 2006, operated flight. Over his 19-year career at Vueling, he has accumulated more than 12,500 flight hours” and works as a flight instructor at an independent aviation school.
Israeli Minister for Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli described the revelation as deeply troubling, stating there were “growing indications that Iván Chirivella – a captain at Vueling who trained two of the 9/11 hijackers – was likely the pilot who ordered the removal of Jewish children from the flight.
Historical records show Chirivella had described the future terrorists as aggressive during training, with both men attempting to wrest control of aircraft during instruction sessions.
Spanish Minister’s Inflammatory Response
Spain’s Transport Minister Óscar Puente sparked additional outrage by referring to the French children as “Israeli brats” in a now-deleted social media post, despite their French nationality. The minister wrote: “Will the patriots be with Vueling? Will the law and order lot be with air safety? Will the xenophobes be with the Spanish company? Or will they all be chummy together, backing the Israeli brats?”
Yad Vashem’s Spanish branch issued a sharp rebuke, stating: “They are French Jews. Europeans. Mr Oscar Puente, confusing your religious identity with a foreign nationality is antisemitism”, emphasising that thousands of Jewish families flee Europe annually due to threats.
The minister’s comments have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, with French MP Caroline Yadan demanding legal accountability if the discrimination allegations prove accurate.
Official Investigation and Airline Response
Vueling CEO Carolina Martinoli has launched an internal investigation following pressure from French authorities, promising to share findings with officials in both France and Spain. The airline continues to deny any religious motivation behind the incident.
The Spanish Civil Guard supported Vueling’s account, with a spokesperson confirming officers removed the group at the captain’s request after they repeatedly ignored crew instructions. The Civil Guard said it had removed 44 minors and eight adults from the plane, saying the arrested person “refused to get off the plane and obey the officers” but was later released.
Video footage circulated widely on social media showing a 21-year-old female camp supervisor being forcibly restrained and handcuffed by Spanish police officers on the jet bridge, with reports suggesting she was later released after signing a non-disclosure agreement.
Jewish Community Responses and Broader Context
The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE) expressed concern over the incident, requesting “detailed explanations from Vueling, accompanied by documentary evidence of what occurred on board the plane, with particular interest in determining whether there were possible discriminatory religious motives against the minors”.
The organisation noted that “singing and displays of excitement on planes are not uncommon, and we believe that if these expressions were the cause of the incident, Vueling must make that clear”.
Sacha Roytman, chief executive of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, condemned the incident as “a shocking antisemitic incident of discrimination against minors”, highlighting the broader context of rising antisemitism across Europe.
Rising Antisemitism in Spain
The incident occurs against a backdrop of escalating antisemitic incidents in Spain. Spain’s Observatory against Antisemitism published its 2024 report documenting 193 antisemitic incidents — an unprecedented 321% increase from 2023 and a 567% rise over 2022, with most incidents linked to hostility surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Recent months have seen multiple reports of Israeli tourists facing harassment, intimidation, and assault in various Spanish cities, reflecting broader tensions affecting Jewish communities across Europe.
The European Jewish Congress has expressed solidarity with its Spanish affiliate, demanding transparent institutional responses to incidents affecting minors and emphasising airlines’ responsibility to ensure passenger dignity regardless of religious background.
International Diplomatic Pressure
French authorities have maintained diplomatic pressure on both Vueling and Spanish officials. France’s ministry for Europe and foreign affairs confirmed that Minister Jean-Noël Barrot contacted Vueling CEO Carolina Martinoli to express his deep concern “about the removal of a group of young French Jews from one of the company’s flights.
The French government has requested additional information to determine whether religious discrimination occurred, with similar requests submitted to Spain’s ambassador to France.
Several French parliamentarians have called for legal action if discrimination is proven, with MP Caroline Yadan stating that “if the reports about how Vueling handled the flight were accurate, the airline should have to answer in court”.
Ongoing Investigation and Future Implications
The incident has exposed deep tensions around antisemitism, airline safety protocols, and religious expression in European aviation. While Vueling maintains its actions were purely safety-motivated, the combination of witness testimonies, the pilot’s controversial background, and inflammatory political responses has created a complex international incident.
Legal proceedings are expected to continue as Club Kineret pursues discrimination charges, while both French and Spanish authorities conduct their respective investigations. The outcome could have significant implications for airline protocols regarding religious expression and passenger rights across European aviation.
The controversy has reignited debates about the treatment of Jewish communities in Europe, with advocacy groups warning that such incidents contribute to an atmosphere where Jewish families increasingly consider emigration due to safety concerns.
Vueling has been contacted for additional comment on the ongoing investigations and has committed to cooperating fully with both French and Spanish authorities.
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