A recent incident involving a passenger being ejected from a Delta Airlines flight has sparked controversy.
The passenger was reportedly removed from the plane due to his attire – a black t-shirt featuring an image of former President Donald Trump making an obscene gesture, along with a phrase referencing a popular internet video.
According to the New York Post, the incident took place at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport on a Saturday morning. The passenger’s shirt displayed Trump wearing sunglasses in the colors of the American flag and extending two middle fingers. The text on the shirt, “Hawk tuah spit on that thang,” is a reference to a viral, adult-themed internet video.
In a video recorded during the incident, the passenger can be heard saying, “I’m getting kicked off because of my shirt,” while being escorted off the plane. He also reads the name tag of the female flight attendant accompanying him.
A Reddit user, SKBeachGirl, reported that the passenger was initially told while waiting to board that his shirt had prompted a complaint. He was informed that he needed to change his shirt or risk being removed from the flight. The passenger complied by turning his shirt inside-out, and the flight began boarding. However, just before takeoff, a Delta employee entered the plane and escorted him off after he had reverted his shirt to its original display.
“Next thing I know, right before takeoff, a Delta employee comes on the plane and escorts him off the flight, he had flipped his shirt back to the decal side,” they wrote.
The airline can remove passengers from its flights to transport passengers when deemed necessary “in Delta’s sole discretion for the passenger’s comfort or safety, for the comfort or safety of other passengers or Delta employees, or for the prevention of damage to the property of Delta or its passengers or employee,” according to Delta’s Contract of Carriage,
A traveler can be removed when their “conduct, attire, hygiene or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers” among other behaviors and conditions.
Earlier this year, another Delta passenger said she was nearly kicked off a flight after she attempted to board her plane without wearing a bra.
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I’m a conservative and an avid Trump supporter, however this type of disgusting message on this young man’s shirt is not a free speech issue, shouldn’t be allowed and Delta was correct for removing him. Supporting something like this only gives the left ammunition to emphasize that this is an example of conservative behavior and a reason for not supporting Trump.
To be fair, Delta should have refused flying the passenger that complained, on that particular flight.
He/She should have been denied boarding for causing inconvenience to another passenger.