( CNN ) -- An airline is investigating the removal of two imams from a flight headed to North Carolina , ostensibly because passengers felt uncomfortable with their presence of the pair -- both clad in Islamic attire . The incident occurred Friday on an Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight from Tennessee to North Carolina and it involved Masudur Rahman and Mohamed Zaghloul were wearing traditional Muslim dress , CNN affiliate WCNC reported . The two -- who hold high religious positions in the Muslim community -- were headed to North Carolina for a conference on prejudice against Muslims , or Islamaphobia . The meeting is sponsored by the North American Imams Federation . Rahman , who is a professor at the University of Memphis , told the affiliate that the incident reminded him of the prejudice Rosa Parks faced during the civil rights movement . `` That history I found today in that plane , and it should n't happen with any other person , '' he said . Atlantic Southeast Airlines , which operated the flight , said the incident is under investigation , and apologized `` for any inconvenience that this may have caused . '' Ibrahim Hooper , spokesman for the civil rights group Council on American-Islamic Relations , told CNN the two men contacted his office and said they were told that passengers were uncomfortable with them on the flight . `` They went through security , even went through secondary security , and got on the plane , were taxiing out , '' he said . But then , they were taxied back , Hooper said . `` TSA came on and pulled them off and said the pilot was refusing to fly with them because passengers were uncomfortable with them , '' Hooper said , referring to the Transportation Security Administration . Hooper said officials re-screened them and found they were no threat . While officials tried to get the men back on the plane , `` the pilot absolutely refused and ultimately took off , '' Hooper said . The airlines did not say why the two men were taken off the flight , but said they were given the opportunity to fly on a different flight . `` Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight 5452 from Memphis to Charlotte returned to the gate to allow for additional screening of a passenger and the passenger 's companion , '' the statement said . `` We take security and safety very seriously , and the event is currently under investigation . '' CNN 's Rick Martin , Craig Bell and Maria Ebrahimji contributed to this report .
NEW : Both men were prominent imams and dressed in Muslim attire . Airline apologizes but does not say why the men were taken off the plane . The men say they were told passengers were uncomfortable .