Kosher Meals Defaced with ‘Zionazi’ Slur on JetBlue Flight, Outrage Erupts
Jewish passengers on JetBlue and Iberia flights faced antisemitic messages on their kosher meals, with “Zionazi” and “Free Palestine” written on packaging, sparking widespread outrage. Both airlines are investigating, amid growing concerns over rising antisemitism in air travel.
Yesterday, a Jewish passenger on a JetBlue flight received a kosher meal labeled with the anti-Semitic slur “Zionazi,” prompting widespread condemnation. StopAntisemitism, a U.S.-based advocacy group, shared a photo of the defaced meal on X, stating, “StopAntisemitism is sickened to see a JetBlue passenger receive his kosher meal with ‘zionazi’ written on it. Whomever is responsible for this must be immediately fired - this is 1941 and Jews will NOT put up with this hate.”
The term “Zionazi,” combining “Zionist” and “Nazi,” is widely recognized as a hateful slur, first documented in 1990 at SUNY-Binghamton, per the American Jewish Yearbook. JetBlue, which has not received formal complaints, told travel outlets, “We have zero tolerance for hate, bias, or discrimination. We are deeply disturbed by the image circulating on social media and have launched an immediate investigation.” Details about the flight’s date or route remain undisclosed.
Just days earlier, on August 4, 2025, passengers on an Iberia Airlines flight from Buenos Aires to Madrid found kosher meal trays marked with “Free Palestine” or “FP” initials. The Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations (DAIA) condemned the act, declaring, “DAIA condemns this discriminatory act and has demanded explanations and immediate action from aviation authorities.” Iberia responded, stating, “Our crew documented the incident and assisted affected passengers. The flight manager personally apologized on behalf of Iberia. We are conducting a thorough investigation, both internally and with our catering suppliers, to understand what happened and take appropriate measures.” The airline emphasized its rejection of discrimination, aligning with its values of respect and inclusion.
These incidents, part of a broader surge in antisemitism with 1,521 UK incidents in early 2025, per the Community Security Trust, have fuelled calls for stricter airline safeguards. Social media on X amplified the outrage, with one user posting, “Defacing kosher meals is a vile attack on Jewish passengers, airlines must act.” The Anti-Defamation League noted a 140% rise in U.S. antisemitic incidents in 2024, underscoring the need for enhanced training and catering oversight to protect Jewish travelers.
UPDATE - JetBlue Airways have reached out to JFEED to release the following statement:
"At JetBlue, we have zero tolerance for hate, bias, or discrimination. We are deeply disturbed by the image circulating on social media and have launched an immediate investigation to determine which flight this may have occurred on. So far, no reports or complaints have been submitted by any customers. Nonetheless, our investigation is ongoing, and we have notified the authorities to assist. If we determine that any individual associated with JetBlue or our catering partners was involved, we will take swift and appropriate action."