A Delta Air Lines flight in Los Angeles was delayed to remove a celebrity who would not follow flight attendant instructions.
Natasha Lyonne Removed From Delta Flight After Refusing To Follow Crew Instructions
Actress Natasha Lyonne was reportedly removed from a Delta Air Lines redeye flight from Los Angeles (JFK) to New York (JFK) after failing to comply with flight attendant instructions ahead of departure.
According to Page Six, the incident occurred just hours after Lyonne attended the premiere of HBO’s Euphoria in Los Angeles on Tuesday, April 7, 2026 (she did not even change clothes before her flight). An eyewitness account says Lyonne appeared “out of it” in her “Delta One” business class seat and did not respond when flight attendants asked her to fasten her seatbelt and close her laptop for takeoff (too bad she didn’t have a more conscientious seatmate…)
Flight attendants reportedly made multiple attempts to get her attention, but she appeared to be dozing off behind sunglasses and was at one point startled when approached, saying, “Ah! You scared me!” The aircraft even began taxiing before ultimately returning to the gate, where a Delta staffer boarded and asked Lyonne to deplane.
Back at the gate, the interaction went like this:
Delta Ground Staff: “Ma’am, do you need medical attention?”
(no response)
Delta Ground Staff: “Ma’am, I need you to come off the plane. Do you need help with your belongings?”
Lyonne: “Where are we?”
Delta Ground Staff: “We’re still in LA. The plane hasn’t gone anywhere. The plane is not going anywhere until you come off it.”
She shrugged and into the lavatory, emerging eating a bag of pretzels before walking off the plane without further controversy. The captain later told passengers:
“We have a passenger who for whatever reason … wouldn’t follow some basic commands … We had a passenger who didn’t seem up to the task tonight so that’s why they were asked to be booked on another flight — I do apologize for the inconvenience, but we will get you to New York as quickly and as safely as possible.”
The plane took off with her seat remaining empty.
Follow The Rules Or Don’t Fly!
As I say often, if you don’t follow valid crew instructions, you’re not flying.
This isn’t about celebrity status or even what condition Lyonne may or may not have been in. It’s about basic compliance with safety procedures during taxi and takeoff: fasten your seatbelt and stow your laptop.
We just talked about this in another context, but the rule is simple: flight attendants are not making suggestions, they are enforcing safety regulations. We don’t know enough to say whether she was intoxicated (she has a history) or just really tired…either way, though, you have to put your seatbelt on and close your laptop before you fall asleep.
And looking deeper into this issue, it appears Lyonne could have also been thrown off for her wardrobe…she was apparently wearing a see-through shirt that left nothing to the imagination. I digress…
CONCLUSION
Natasha Lyonne’s removal from a Delta flight appears to have been for failing to follow basic crew instructions. Whatever the underlying reason, if you’re not ready to follow instructions, you’re not ready to fly…
Was anyone on her Delta flight? Was she intoxicated or just really tired?
image: nylonne / Instagram
I believe she admitted she is no longer sober recently after years of recovery.
But damn, her voice is so hot. Loved her in American Pie many years ago.
I like her, too.
Hope she gets the helps she needs.
From what I’ve seen before, Natasha Lyonne doesn’t strike me as the most stable woman.
and was at one point startled when approached, saying, “Ah! You scared me!”
Can’t be the only person that heard that in her voice when reading it.
Probably Xanax…
It is America’s national drug, after all!
“If you don’t follow valid crew instructions, you’re not flying.” It’s as simple as that!
After reading about her recent struggles, the removal might be something that changes her path. I hope she finds the help she needs.
Agreed!
Wonder how she even made it to the airport. Too bad no one beforehand stopped her from flying if she was so incapacitated ( or maybe they tried ? ) …. Hope DL billed her for the extra fuel consumed in that ‘taxi to nowhere’ and/or any further damages due to the delay. Have people no shame in causing a whole planeload of staff & employees such inconvenience ? … Sadly, I wouldn’t expect a public apology and/or rehab treatment. Hopefully she wasn’t driving ! And, damn. that empty seat could have gone to a non-rev ! ( or one of the thousands on the revenue upgrade list ..lol ) !!
Who is Natasha Lyonne?
The picture looks like Mick Jagger on botox.
Never heard of her.