Passengers Booted For Juvenile Business Class Seat Stunt On American Airlines

No names. No backlinks to their YouTube channel. But I cannot help but to share about a foolish publicity stunt which led to the removal of two passengers from an American Airlines flight.

A Publicity Stunt On American Airlines Goes Wrong

The incident occurred on October 30, 2020 on a flight from Dallas to Miami operated by a Boeing 777-200. After encountering a catering delay, a woman seated in economy class came up to the business class cabin to visit her friend. But rather than return to her seat, she hid under friend’s seat…literally. Specifically, she hid in the footwell of her friend’s seat.

Eventually, but before the flight took off, flight attendants noticed the empty seat in economy class that had been previously occupied. The flight was booked full, so the empty seat stood out. Other passengers told flight attendants she had walked into the forward class cabin during the ground delay.

She apparently was hiding very well, because the crew took to the PA to make an announcement that the missing woman was to return to her seat. She finally emerged from her hiding place only to encounter a round of boos and hisses from other first class passengers. Although she tried to sneak back to her seat, she was busted by flight attendants.

Meanwhile, the captain decided the two ladies were a risk, radioed the tower, and returned the aircraft to the gate.

Upon learning they were being kicked off, the women became incensed. According to a witness, one screamed “that she’s being disrespected, did nothing wrong, she paid good money for her ticket, and that she has a child waiting at home for her.” (and she took her mask off while she was yelling onboard)

Too bad, so sad lady. Both were removed.

And so was a third passenger. The witness also noted:

“In the meantime another pax in Y [economy class] starts to cuss out a FA because of the delay and the police drag him off.”

All in a day’s work.

An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed:

“Before departing on Oct. 30, American Airlines flight 2205 from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Miami International Airport (MIA) returned to the gate at DFW for an issue involving two passengers. The two passengers, traveling together, would not comply with seat assignments during taxi out. Law enforcement met the aircraft at the gate, the two passengers exited the aircraft and the flight departed shortly after.”

The witness added the ladies remarked their was only a harmless publicity stunt for their YouTube channel.

CONCLUSION

When I read about incidents like this, I think of Green Day’s song, American Idiot. If there’s any consolation, at least this incident was not centered on a mask. But juvenile behavior won’t be rewarded with name-dropping. Sorry ladies.

image: American Airlines