Quantcast

United Airlines removes first-class passenger over racist texts during flight

Research
Webp p18pueyozwbyaegyt1fzg7i1qaau
View from the Wing | View from the Wing

A United Airlines passenger was removed from a flight after another passenger captured a photo of her texting racial slurs. The incident occurred on a flight from Charleston, South Carolina to Denver.

The black passenger, who had been upgraded to first class along with his family, reported that the woman had been rude to him from the start. "Before she sat down in her first class seat (I was upgraded before takeoff) she put her bag up, looked me dead in the face and flipped me off," he said.

The woman continued her behavior by sending text messages containing racial epithets. The man informed the flight attendants, leading the captain to decide against having her on the flight. Although the plane had already left the gate, it returned so that two gate agents could escort her off. Police were waiting at the gate.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The texts suggested an escalation of hostility, with the woman expressing hope that the man would throw "the first lunch," presumably meaning punch. This raised questions about whether such private communications should be grounds for ejection or if they posed a safety concern for the cabin crew.

This incident is reminiscent of a similar case last year involving Delta Air Lines, where a passenger's racist texts were exposed by their seatmate but did not result in any action beyond discomfort for the offender.

An online story dating back to at least the late 1990s tells of a racist passenger demanding to be moved away from someone they deemed undesirable and being met with an upgrade for their victim instead. This narrative was even turned into a public service advertisement in Portugal.

In this latest case, both parties were already seated in first class when the woman was removed due to her actions.

___

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Videos have surfaced online allegedly showing China's new sixth-generation fighter jet flying for the first time, accompanied by a fifth-generation J-20 Mighty Dragon fighter as a chase plane.

Dec 26, 2024

Passengers on Air New Zealand's flight NZ7 from San Francisco to Auckland, who were set to miss Christmas Day due to crossing the international date line, experienced a unique celebration at 30,000 feet.

Dec 26, 2024

Passengers on Emirates Flight EK823 from Dubai to Dammam experienced a unique event as the airline's first Airbus A350-900 made its debut revenue flight.

Dec 26, 2024

German airline Condor has announced plans to reduce its U.S. route map in 2025, affecting four cities.

Dec 26, 2024

Azerbaijan Airlines President Samir Rzayev praised the pilots of flight J28243 for their bravery after the Embraer E190 crash-landed in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024.

Dec 26, 2024

Japanese investigators have attributed the January 2, 2024 collision between a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 and a Japan Coast Guard Bombardier Dash 8 at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport to human error.

Dec 26, 2024