Muslim cabdrivers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport have refused to take passengers who are carrying alcohol, saying it is against their religion, the Associated Press reported Oct. 1.

"It is forbidden in Islam to carry alcohol," said cabbie Muhamed Mursal. Some drivers have been refusing for years to pick up passengers if they have alcohol, but the practice has caused problems as more Muslims take jobs as cabdrivers; about three-quarters of the 900 cabbies at the Minneapolis airport are Somalis, and many of those are Muslim.

"It's slowly grown over the years to the point that it's become a significant customer service issue for us," said airport spokesperson Pat Hogan.

Airport officials may soon require Muslim cabdrivers to put different-colored lights on top of their cabs if they refuse to take alcohol-carrying passengers. Those who don't display the light and still decline fares would be sent to the back of the cab-stand line, meaning a wait of up to three hours.

Observers say that drunk passengers don't have a problem getting a cab, just those who are carrying a bottle. "They're really kind of imparting their religious views on the public," said traveler Katie Patterson of McKinney, Texas. "I can understand if somebody's drunk; that's a whole different issue. But to just bring in a closed container, maybe you should look for other work."