Air Canada is currently investigating a complaint from a Jewish man in Toronto regarding a flight attendant who wore a political pin on her uniform. The pin, shaped like Israel, featured Palestinian colors and depicted the Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in Jerusalem's Old City.

Peter Fitzpatrick, Air Canada’s manager of corporate communications, stated, "We are reviewing this matter. We will address it directly with the employee involved, as appropriate."

The passenger, Israel Ellis, who is also an author and businessman, expressed his concerns in an email. He stated, "There is no place for political statements of any kind on a public airline, especially that which identifies clearly with a polarized issue used as a guise for antisemitism." He further claimed that such incidents "normalize calls for the erasure of the Jewish people," and described the pin as a "clear call for genocide."

In response to Ellis's concerns, Fitzpatrick noted that Air Canada has a policy regarding uniformed staff that specifies which pins and symbols are allowed. He explained, "There is a finite list of pins that are accepted, none of them political, as I think you mean it. Instead think of something like a poppy."

Ellis reported that the incident occurred during an Air Canada flight to Atlanta last week. He described the flight attendant, who wore a headscarf, as having worn the political pin beneath her airline pin. He felt that the attendant displayed disdain towards him and his wife, who were wearing Star of David necklaces.

After the incident, Ellis submitted a complaint to Air Canada but has yet to receive a response. He also shared his experience on Instagram, where it garnered nearly 3,000 responses and 1,400 comments. Ellis expressed feelings of being "harassed, threatened, and unsafe in a situation that should be providing comfort and security regardless of my identity." He added that seeing such behavior supported by Air Canada was "unnerving" and reflected a broader issue of a country that has "betrayed its Jewish constituents."