(AP) -- WASHINGTON (AP) - AirTran Airways is apologizing to nine Muslim passengers kicked off a New Year's Day flight to Florida after other passengers reported hearing a suspicious remark about airplane security.
One of the passengers says the confusion started at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., when his brother was talking about the safest place to sit on an airplane.
In a statement Friday, Orlando-based AirTran says it refunded the air fare for the nine passengers and planned to reimburse them for replacement tickets they bought on another airline.
The airline said the incident on the flight to Orlando was a misunderstanding, but the steps taken were necessary.
AirTran also apologized to 95 other passengers whose flight was delayed by the incident.
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