United Airlines reportedly kicked off a passenger who used a red thong instead of a mask during one of their flights on Wednesday.
Thong As a Mask?
The passenger, Adam Jenne said that he already used a thong as a mask on several flights. Jenne said that “I think the best way to illustrate absurdity is with absurdity”. He also added that “Every single flight has been met with different reactions from the flight crew”. He said that reactions range from “some with wild appreciation, others confrontational”.
During the United flight, Jenne refused to comply. He said that “I don’t wear the mask in the airport at all, at all”. He also compared his stunt to the action of civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
The United flight crew did not find the stunt amusing, and Jenne was removed from the flight. The passenger was then met by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office after he was kicked off the flight. Jenne said that “Eventually, they called TSA and airport security”. He added that “I ended up staying at the gate for about 45 minutes”.
United refunded the passenger and plans to fly again on Thursday. He said that “Hopefully, Spirit Airlines has a better sense of humor tomorrow”.
In a statement, United said that “The customer clearly wasn’t in compliance with the federal mask mandate and we appreciate that our team addressed the issue on the ground prior to takeoff, avoiding any potential disruptions on the air”.
Mask Mandate and Unruly Passengers
The Biden administration extended the mask Mandate at least until March next year. Under the mask mandate, travelers have to wear masks on trains, planes, airports, and busses.
The Federal Aviation Administration encountered a record high number of unruly passengers. A typical year for the FAA averages 100 to 150 cases of unruly passengers annually. But this time, the FAA recorded more than 5,660 unruly passenger reports for this year. More than 4,000 cases involved masks.
