(WATCH) Passenger Wearing ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Mask Kicked Off Allegiant Airlines Flight (VIDEO)
A passenger on an Allegiant Airlines plane was reportedly forced to leave the plane before takeoff because of a “comment” he had on his mask. One of the flight attendants who approached him demanded that he put on a new mask. The passenger claimed that was a violation of his rights but she claimed he was in violation of “FAA regulation.”
This guy was reportedly kicked off a flight because he had “let’s go Brandon” written on his mask and refused to change masks. @Allegiant employee claims it’s an “FAA regulation” pic.twitter.com/4ipRbqggEB
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 16, 2022
Multiple reports claim “Let’s Go Brandon” was written on the mask.
The Daily Mail reported, “Allegiant confirmed to Fox Business that the passenger was removed but claimed it was because he was disobeying the flight attendant. Allegiant wouldn’t confirm whether or not the passenger had been unruly or violated the policy based on the slogan, nor where the flight departed or was headed.”
Allegiant released a statement addressing the incident:
The video in question depicts part of an incident involving a passenger who failed to comply with repeated crew member requests to adhere to the federal face mask policy…. The passenger was removed from the flight and issued a refund for his fare. Disregarding instructions from flight crew members is prohibited by federal regulations and is grounds for removal from a flight where such conduct creates an unsafe environment…
The decision to remove a passenger is never made lightly and is always done with the safety of our passengers and crew in mind. In April, the FAA adopted a zero-tolerance policy against unruly passenger behavior, which includes failure to comply with crew members’ instructions. We welcome the FAA’s renewed strong stance on unruly passengers, understanding the safety risk such incidents can create for both passengers and crew.
Airlines such as American Airlines have tolerated demonstrations of political views by passengers and flight staff. Following the death of George Floyd, CBS News reported that American Airlines allowed its employees to wear BLM pins. CBS said, “The decision comes after American Airlines employees saw people at other companies wearing BLM pins and asked if they could do the same.”
American Airlines offered support for the BLM movement, saying in a statement:
American Airlines believes in equity and inclusion for all…Fundamentally, we believe Black Lives Matter is an expression of equality, not a political statement…It doesn’t mean other lives don’t matter, rather that in our society Black lives should matter and be valued the same as others. We are showing our support for our Black colleagues and customers who have experienced discrimination and injustice, not any particular organization. This decision underscores our belief that all people, regardless of race, gender or ethnicity, deserve to be treated with equality and respect.
In October of 2020, United Airlines also sent out a memo announcing the option for employees to wear BLM pins:
During a time when it can be tough to have open conversations about race and equality in our country, and possibly even more challenging to show a commitment toward ending systemic racism — United has stepped up, created companywide forums to encourage an open dialogue and put in place a series of steps that demonstrate our dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Now we’re proud to take that responsibility further by offering our employees and customers the opportunity to purchase a custom-designed, branded Black Lives Matter pin, with proceeds dedicated to an important, nonprofit cause.
As a global company with diverse employees around the world, we are proud to stand alongside a growing number of large public-facing corporations and big brands that have prominently supported our common humanity.
Stay tuned to The Scoop for any updates.
