Alaska Airlines Defends Decision to Kick Woman Off Plane Amid Viral Video

A video of a passenger who was "kicked off" a plane after she had an alcoholic drink called a "mimosa" has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip, which had 1.1 million views at the time of writing, was shared by Kandace H (@kandace_h) from Oregon's Portland International Airport after being taken off an Alaska Airlines flight traveling from Portland to Las Vegas.

A spokesperson for the airline told Newsweek: "One of the passengers exhibited concerning behavior during the pre-boarding process and was asked to exit the aircraft due to safety concerns. After resolving our concerns, we booked the passenger on the next scheduled flight to their intended destination.

"At Alaska, safety is our top priority. We train and empower our crews to make decisions that ensure the safety of all on board the aircraft. Part of keeping a flight safe is making sure all guests are fit to fly," the spokesperson added.

In a caption shared with the video, the poster wrote: "SPREAD THE WORD! @alaskaair "THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE !! I AM LIVID !!! The flight attendants on flight #714 from Portland to Vegas need to be fired !! I was BLATANTLY lied on & removed from the plane..."

The woman in the video said: "I just got kicked off a f******* plane" as it was "literally about to take off."

According to the video, the passenger was approached by a staff member who told her she had to "get off the plane." A flight attendant had claimed the passenger allegedly told staff "Oh I'm drunk, shhhh," the poster said, putting a finger against her lips to demonstrate a gesture to keep quiet.

In a U.S. Federal Aviation Administration report in November 2021, the FAA said it had received nearly 300 reports of passenger disturbances due to alcohol and intoxication since January 1, 2021.

According to the FAA, "the boarding of a passenger who appears to be intoxicated" is a violation of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR).

The FAA says passengers are prohibited by law from consuming alcohol aboard a flight unless it is served by a flight attendant. Flight attendants are also not permitted to serve a passenger who is intoxicated.

The woman in the latest viral clip explained: "I never use the bathroom on the plane" and told this to a flight attendant before she entered the bathroom, presumably asking how to use it. She said the staff member told her "You just go in and lock the door and the light will come on."

The light didn't come on, so the woman notified the staff member who later asked her: "Are you okay ma'am?"

The woman said in the video: "I did have a drink at the bar but who doesn't? There's literally bars at the airport. So I told her [the staff member] I had a drink at the bar, I had a mimosa [which is made with orange juice and champagne]."

According to the video, the passenger had "one and a half" mimosas. She explained "I didn't even finish the second one because I had to get to the [boarding] gate..."

The woman said the staff member made some adjustments on the door and told her the light "should come on this time" and it later did. She said she was on the phone with one of her colleagues "the whole entire time," telling him "how my anxiety is kicking in because I never use the bathroom on the plane because I feel like it's dirty and it's very small...so I feel claustrophobic."

The poster was later taken off the plane by another female staff member, who said "flight attendants told her that I was slurring my words" and that the passenger allegedly told them "Oh I'm drunk, shhhh."

The poster said: "I never told her to 'shhh'...I don't have a problem with saying that I had a drink. I'm not belligerent, I'm not drunk..."

In an update in another video, the passenger said: "I have drinks at the bar all the time when I got to the airport. I have drinks on the plane sometimes, as other people do as well."

But when she told staff "I had a drink," she said "it was more like 'whew, I was relieved that drink went through..."

After she disembarked the aircraft, the poster said a member of staff at the gate told her: "If you were slurring your words and stuff, it's my job to not even let you on the plane...you were fine to me."

The passenger claimed one of the managers on the ground also told her: "You seem normal to me," after she exited the plane.

According to a comment in the latest update, the poster contacted the airline's "customer care" department about the incident and was told: "We weren't there, so there's nothing we can do."

Several users on TikTok sided with the passenger in the latest video.

User @mel_love106 said: "You seemed normal and just fine in your first video."

User Picolo814 wrote: "You didn't do anything wrong, it's complete b******* they kicked you off..."

User honey wrote: "i've sat next to [people] slurring their words & stumbling on a plane. nobody cared??? long as they aren't causing a problem/fighting ppl ?? i'm so sorry."

User @inosrighttit said: "damn. i drink before the plane all the time. that's crazy," while user6041972314258 said "@alaskaair you owe this young lady an apology, this behavior is unacceptable."

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok.

Do you have a similar travel dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

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