Hungary’s HVG magazine broke a truly disturbing story of racial profiling at the Vienna airport, on the part of both Austrian Airlines and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). A Hungarian Roma academic, who is referred to simply as Éva in the piece, travelled to Vienna, in order to fly to Toronto on a research trip. Éva is preparing a study on different cohorts and generations of Roma, who had found a home in Canada. On April 8th, her children drove her out to Vienna, with her valid EU passport, airline ticket and $1,000 in funds in hand.
Upon arriving to Schwechat airport, Austrian Airlines ticket agents pulled Éva aside and began questioning her in manner more becoming of a police interrogation. They then contacted CIC officials by telephone, who questioned Éva about where she was going to stay in Toronto, who had invited her and they attempted to phone Éva’s Canadian hosts. CIC claimed that they were unable to get a hold of the hosts. In contrast, however, the host told HVG that they were never called and that there was no record of any phone call from CIC on their telephone.
Éva began to plead with CIC officials and with the employees of Austrian Airlines, noting that she has a long track record of academic research and that this is verifiable. Her daughter is an actress, her husband is a musician, so it was inexplicable why she was seen as being so suspicious.
Austrian Airlines claimed that CIC had barred the company from allowing Éva to board the flight. CIC, however, said that the final decision ultimately lies with the airline. Éva was not able to board her flight to Toronto’s Pearson Airport, and she had to return to Hungary.
“I have never been humiliated like this before,” she told reporters.
Austrian Airlines flight at the Vienna International Airport.
After leaving the airport, she visited the Canadian embassy in Vienna. An embassy staffer suggested to Éva that she submit an application to immigrate to Canada, even though the Hungarian Roma researcher had no interest at all in immigration, she merely wanted to visit for three weeks, as part of her research project. This is where she discovered that Canadian authorities have fined airlines in the past, for transporting Roma to Canada who were arriving “illegally.” As such, it’s clear that Austrian Airlines and other carriers will be extra vigilant, so as to avoid penalties. It also raises the risk of racial profiling, which undeniably occured in this case.
HVG contacted CIC, which told the reporters that what occurred in Vienna was legal. CIC noted that it was “fighting against illegal immigration.” The paper then contacted Hungary’s consulate general in Toronto, which emphasized the importance of having a letter from one’s host when travelling to Canada, or other proof of accommodation. But the consulate general would not comment further on the case, noting that this is Canada’s “internal affair.” Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had no comment to make either.
Éva, however, is now considering a lawsuit against Austrian Airlines.
