A young French mother who was flying to New York via Switzerland for a holiday with her husband and two young children was told she not allowed entry to the United States, seemingly because her name sounds suspiciously like terrorist network Al Qaeda.

Aida Alic arrived with her family at Geneva airport on Wednesday preparing to board a connection to JFK.

However she was told by Swiss Airlines officials that her access to the country had been denied.

Forced to cancel their trip and return to their house near Chambery in the French Alps, it wasn't until the 33-year-old got home and started googling for answers that she realized her name appears surname first on her passport and reads 'Alic Aida'.

Alic feels there is no other explanation for being turned away by customs.  'Alic Aida, Al-Qaeda.,' she told a French news website.

'When friends make the play on words to wind me up, I am used to it, but not this."

'Especially as my name is pronounced Alitch. 

'It is of Yugoslav origin. 

'And now here I am labelled as a risk.'

The family are out of pocked almost $3,800 on the trip because their return flights to the states were not refundable. (Daily Mail)