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Flyers Claim Trump Allegiance is Forcing Them Off Flights – But Is It True?

After the assault on the U.S. Capitol Building, some flyers say that their support of outgoing president Donald Trump is resulting in their removal off flights. However, videos taken by other passengers aboard these aircraft suggests it has to do more with their behavior than their political ideologies.

When flyers behave badly at their destination, how should they be handled? In China, those who act inappropriately in foreign countries have their charges follow them back home, resulting in penalties for their transgressions. In the United States, a growing number of flyers say they are being removed from flights because of their support of outgoing president Donald Trump. Yet, the problem could lie not in their political beliefs, but in how they are acting aboard aircraft.

Are Airlines Putting Trump Supporters on No-Fly Lists?

Reports and social media videos from across the internet would suggest that wearing a red hat or wearing anything branded with the president’s name is becoming a red flag for airlines. In video shared by the Suncoast News Network, one group of flyers claimed Delta Air Lines refused them service because of they made statements in support of Trump.

But in a video presumably from the same flight, the group was shown as they were escorted from the plane. When other passengers asked why, one woman in the group claimed: “Freedom of speech.” In a statement to The Independent, Delta noted that the decision to remove passengers from flights is “based solely on behavior that affects the safety and security of our operation including noncompliance with instruction from flight crews.”

Other videos posted online show passengers exhibiting a number of unruly behaviors while flying, for a variety of reasons. On one American Airlines departure from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), a woman was caught rallying against face coverings on board aircraft. American has held the mandatory policy since July 2020. She was ultimately met by police at her destination for being disruptive.

 

Although the airlines respect freedom of speech and other inherent rights granted by the U.S. Constitution, passengers do not have the right to be disruptive to the flight operations, or threatening to the flight attendants and other passengers. As examples of supporting free speech and harassment-free aircraft: American Airlines authorized a committee-designed Black Lives Matter pin for wear on uniforms, while Delta upgraded a passenger in September 2020, after they claimed to be harassed when a passenger in her row exchanged her face mask with one supporting the Blue Lives Matter movement. In August 2020, Spirit Airlines donated free travel to a number of social justice and civil rights organizations, including the National Black Chamber of Commerce and the NAACP.

Flyer Removals Comes After AFA-CWA Called for Capitol Stormers to be Put on No-Fly Lists

The removals come as union leaders and lawmakers called for those involved in the attack on the U.S. Capitol to be banned from future air travel. In a statement, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA president Sara Nelson and House Homeland Security Committee chairman Bennie G. Thompson called for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Transportation Security Administration to work together in identifying suspects and placing them on no-fly lists.

17 Comments
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carlosdca January 18, 2021

Dear Trump supporters: No, the fact that you like Trump should not warrant criminal charges or being banned from the flight. Wear proudly your MAGA hat, even your MAGA mask. Dear Passengers (Blue, red and all the colors in between): Screaming and spreading your saliva all over, being a drama queen about the mask, being disruptive and delaying the flight is plain wrong. So please behave.

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MiscMel70 January 15, 2021

The number of people commenting defending people who are CLEARLY unhinged is so weird and surreal to me. Guys, these folks are STRUGGLING mentally already and people in power who they TRUST, speak DIRECTLY to them INTENTIONALLY instigating their instability into doing their dirty work so they can keep their hands clean. It's not cool. I'm not one to call these folks mean names because I see they're struggling mentally and it's CRIMINAL that they're being taken advantage of. For those of you who are struggling with comprehension here, go read the reports of the Capitol Police. These SAME people you're defending the right to scream on planes were screaming at the doors of the capital during the siege, to the police "We're on your side. We love the thin blue line. Kill him with his own gun". One cop was beaten with his own baton. Another was crushed in a door jam. One was murdered. Another died later of suicide. STOP DEFENDING this behavior so we can help these people. Defending it only pushes them further into their insanity.

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JG_Aus January 15, 2021

This isn't about freedom of speech or expression - it's about people who can't control themselves and behave in a reasonable and civilized fashion. I don't care if they have Trump hats or Q-Anon t-shirts, but if they disruptive and argumentative, let them drive andkeep them off my flights.

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Bluesman62 January 14, 2021

IMO I can't see billion-dollar businesses like the airlines discriminating against and alienating a significant portion of their potential customers...the airlines care about the color of your money, not the color of your hat. Behave in public and on your flight, no problem. Be a disruptive a$$, don't follow the rules, and get yourself removed. It's that simple.

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mvoight January 13, 2021

Counsellor, where do you see libel in his statements? Trump has done all of that.