TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) -- Israel's national airline El Al on Monday apologized to a visiting professor strip- searched on her way to conference in Jerusalem, an Israeli newspaper reported. Heather Bradshaw, a neuroscientist, was travelling from the UK to Israel at the invitation of Hebrew University when she was subjected a physical examination in which she was asked to remove her bra.
She told the Israeli daily Haaretz that El Al security personnel detained her at Luton airport in London on 31 October, confiscated all of her belongings, and repeatedly questioned her. After nearly an hour of examinations, she was reportedly reprimanded for holding up the flight.
Before leaving Israel Monday on a different carrier, the office of El Al's CEO called Bradshaw to apologize, telling her that it had opened an investigation, Haaretz reported. The airline also promised to compensate her for the inconvenience and the late arrival of her luggage, according to the report.
The apology followed a letter to the airline from Hebrew University, Haaretz reported.