They were kicked out for not putting Jewish items on the floor.
An elderly Jewish couple claim they were removed from an American Airlines plane and left stranded in Miami ahead of a storm, after refusing to put a bag containing a prayer book and shawl on the floor.
The airline is being sued for illegal and discriminatory conduct.
Roberto and Elana Birman, a couple in their 70s, say as the plane was about to take off, a flight attendant began to look inside the overhead luggage compartments.
A crew member asked who the couple's bag belonged to after removing it from a storage unit.
Roberto was told the bag had to go under his seat after the pair indicated it was theirs.
Roberto told the American Airlines staff member that he couldn't put the shawl on the floor because he was a Jew.
The flight attendant is said to have screamed and pointed her finger at the couple.
Roberto told the New York Post that he couldn't believe it.
Nobody said anything. She said nobody defended them. Elana asked, "What are we, criminals?"
Roberto says the pilot came to the cabin but did not speak to them, and that a ground crew member arrived and told them to leave the plane.
Brad Gerstman, their lawyer, said that his clients were ejected from the flight because of their prejudice and lack of sensitivity to American Airlines employees.
The conduct of the flight attendant and pilot was offensive.
The lawsuit is being reviewed by American Airlines.
