NEW YORK (JTA) – One of the United States’ largest kosher certifying agencies alleges that JetBlue airlines sold a snack it falsely claimed was certified as kosher.
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In a lawsuit filed last Thursday, Kof-K said JetBlue put the agency’s hechsher, or rabbinical approval symbol, on an artichoke snack that the agency never certified as kosher.
The company that makes the artichoke snack, Elma Farms, was not named in the lawsuit. A JetBlue spokesperson told Reuters on Friday the airline is investigating the claims. An attorney for Kof-K declined to comment to Reuters.
There are approximately 1,400 kosher certifying agencies around the world, but in the United States, the “Big Five” — the Orthodox Union (OU), Organized Kashrut Laboratories (OK), Kof-K, Star-K, and the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) — certify more than 80% of the country’s kosher food products. Kof-K started certifying food as kosher in the early 1970s.
JetBlue’s $9 Mediterranean-inspired vegan snack box also included products certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the Kashruth Council of Canada and EarthKosher.
This is not the first legal action taken against an airline relating to their provision of kosher food this year. In Brazil, a judge awarded plaintiffs $1,759 after they filed a complaint against American Airlines alleging that they were denied kosher food on board.
Other airlines that have gotten into legal trouble with the Jewish community in recent months also include Lufthansa and Delta, both for refusing to board Orthodox Jewish passengers for different reasons.
They have to sue for unauthorized use of trademark. If this type of error/oversight/fraud isn’t taken seriously then what will stop others from doing the same thing. For those commenting its all about money or all that is necessary is an apology – don’t you people depend on reliability of food packaging before determining you can eat something? It’s not just about punishing those involved or even protecting the brand. It’s about protecting the kosher consumer and preserving the integrity of the kosher food industry. Think!
Why hold jet blue responsible? I guess someone needs to make money. Jet blue received this item with the kosher symbol. Whoever put it there with the knowledge that it wasn’t kosher, and it’s a vegetable, is responsible if if in fact it’s not kosher. Fair is fair, it’s also a chillul Hashem and feeds into
the stereotype of litigious greedy Jews.
I was just on a flight with JB, saw the artichokes, and saw that is was a different hechsher than what was on the card. I didn’t recognize the hechsher so I didn’t get it. Who cares? But suing? Calling them liars? Come on, let’s not blow stupid oversights into more than what it is. They tried to make a kosher option specifically to cater to us. They don’t know what all of it means. So they just wing it. This is a non issue. Could have been resolved with a simple phone call informing them of the issue.
Did Kof -K speak to JetBlue first and investigate it or are they busting out for fear of losing consumer confidence ? My hunch – a mistake someplace and can it be settled quietly ?