A woman was left seething after she claimed to have been “kicked off a plane” for donning a mask that promoted President Donald Trump. In a video that went viral on TikTok, the disgruntled passenger voiced her frustration at being told to remove her mask, insisting on her right to select her own travel attire.
The footage of the alleged incident was captioned: “Kicked off Alaska Airlines flight for wearing a Trump mask. They told me to change it, and I did, and then they came back and said they still wanted me off the plane.”
The video shows the woman embroiled in a dispute with a cabin crew member, who explains that staff didn’t “feel comfortable” with her choice of mask on the flight – highlighting that there are safety guidelines advised for aircraft.
Although the timing of the incident is unclear, with some ambiguity over whether it occurred recently or during the pandemic, the presence of masks on planes suggests ongoing caution among some travellers despite lifted restrictions.
In a subsequent video, the scene unfolds with the passenger being escorted off the flight, expressing confusion and labelling the situation “ridiculous.”
The incident sparked debate online, with one commenter stating: “Not a Trump fan at all, but that’s not ok. He’s the leader of our country which, last time I checked, still included Alaska.”
Another individual supported the airline’s decision, commenting: “Nope, airlines are private, not Government. It’s not a free speech issue. The pilot is the absolute and ultimate authority on an aircraft.”
A third person suggested that political statements should be avoided on flights, adding: “No political stuff should be worn on flights, regardless of which side. Just trouble waiting to start.”
Some commenters backed the cabin crew’s actions, with one stating: “Good job. I would have kicked you off too.”
Another supporter praised the flight attendant, writing: “Good job flight attendant.” Yet another concurred: “Great job to the airline.”
However, there were those who believed she had the right to wear her mask, leaving opinions divided. While US carriers may not enforce strict dress codes, they reserve the right to request passengers to remove or alter clothing deemed inappropriate or offensive.
This typically applies to items considered lewd, obscene or potentially disruptive. The Alaska Airlines website states: “We respect the privacy and wellbeing of our guests and employees.
“We do not tolerate inappropriate verbal, digital or physical conduct of any kind, including harassment, sexual harassment, invasive photography/videography, assault, sexual assault or wearing or display of offensive, threatening or intimidating statements or symbols.
“We expect guests to comply with Alaska’s rules and policies, as well as federal regulations and security directives. All crewmember instructions must be followed.
“We encourage guests to report unwelcome behavior to an employee immediately. If a guest feels uncomfortable reporting about these issues to an employee, they may report anonymously to the Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air Ethics and Compliance hotline.”
Alaska Airlines has been asked to comment.