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I know there was a thread similar to this, but I forgot what it was called.

Anyway, just found this article on CNN.

Read the comments.

I thought about that too, but I thought there were specific times to pray. I've seen Orthodox Jews praying in the airport, it's actually really interesting to watch. That was in the terminal though.

Perhaps he felt highly compelled to pray on the plane, or thought it would be more private than out in the middle of the airport. Who knows. Sometimes you just wanna talk to G-d, you know it?

My favorite comment was by the guy talking about "showmanship". I've never really thought of davening as "showing off", and I think it's kind of funny that non Muslim/Jews find the way we pray attention seeking.

Someone brought up an interesting point though (in the comments). If it were a Muslim pulling out his prayer rug, there would have been mass pandemonium. It's not really relevant, but it's true. I'm all for praying in public though, and I don't think he was holding up much by saying a 2 minute prayer. You taxi for 10 times that if you're lucky!

Everyone has dealt with a fussy child, not many understand holding up a flight for prayer. Unless your Jewish or very culture, you wouldn't understand why he ignored the flight attendant and why he was doing "strange things". To some people, it would be alarming. I posted a similar article about an Orthodox Jewish man praying on a subway in East Chicago, Indiana. He had his tefillin on and someone thought it was a bomb or something.

World religions should be a required class or something. I think it would make peace and understanding much more achievable if people actually had to sit down and think about other's religions instead of just gathering half-truths and stereotypes. It's frustrating.

I didn't see what time the plane was taking off, in the article, but it was entirely possible that -- as has happened to me often -- the man had gotten up early, dressed, and run for his bus/train, thinking "I'll be able to daven in the airport, and I won't miss my time." He doesn't pray on public transit because he's watching his luggage from theft, and because he doesn't want to miss his stop (or he's in a taxi, but the taxi driver is talking, and his wife and/or kids are asking things like "Did I leave the iron on?" and he can't concentrate. Plus, reading in a car is very hard on the eyes because of the constant need to refocus when the vehicle jiggles due to rough roads.

Then the bus/train is delayed with traffic/accident/bomb threat on the freeway. By the time one gets to the airport, one's plane is boarding. He thinks, "Well, I'll daven on the plane." He gets on the plane. There are delays with boarding. He FINALLY gets on, then checks his watch and realizes he's only got five minutes left before he HAS to start praying. Rather than wait five minutes and then get up DURING takeoff, he starts now, while he still has time because other people are boarding, and he speed-davens. He does have plenty of time, or at least he would, if not for the constant interruptions from people using the bathroom before takeoff and from flight attendants who need lessons in etiquette (not interrupting someone who's praying).

Oh those Chassids, wrecking havoc. xp

I'm sure given the opportunity, he would have done it differently. Maybe he just never would have dreamed he would get that kind of reaction. I know I wouldn't. Okay, maybe around here...but New York City? Surely most New Yorkers have seen such a thing before. But, it's unfair to assume that, I guess.