EasyJet has apologised after three Muslim siblings said they ejected from a flight after a fellow passenger made false allegations that they were looking at Islamic State propaganda on their phones.
Sakina Dharas and her brother and sister were interrogated by anti-terrorism officers for an hour as the aircraft waited.
The incident occurred at Stansted last week as the three were due to fly to Naples for a weekend break.
The family were allowed back on the aircraft, which had been delayed for an hour, after their phones and passports were checked.
Ms Dharas, a pharmacist from north-west London, said she and her brother Ali and sister Maryam, both students, were escorted off the plane by a stewardess minutes after taking their seats.
Counter terrorism officers told them a fellow passenger had “told us that you are members of Isil and they have seen material on your phone”, she told the Daily Telegraph.
She said the only religious or Arabic material she had on her phone was an electronic copy of the Koran which she had not been looking at the time.
Ms Dharas said: “What really upsets me is that the accusers were not brought out of the plane and questioned at the same time.”
An easyJet spokesman said the three had been taken off the flight “following concerns raised by a passenger”.
“The police then confirmed to the captain that the passengers were cleared to complete their journey and they re-boarded the aircraft and the flight departed to Naples.
“The safety and security of its passengers and crew is our highest priority which means that if a security concern is raised we will always investigate it as a precautionary measure.
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused to the passengers.”