70-Year-Old Man Kicked Off Flight for Making Racist Comments to Flight Attendant

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An Air India plane parks at the gate at Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on March 7. DANIEL SLIM/AFP/Getty Images

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A 70-year-old man was kicked off a flight after allegedly making racist comments to a flight attendant on a Binter Canarias flight, which was bound to La Palma, on Spain's Canary Islands.

The passenger was reportedly boarding a plane as witnesses said he "hurled racist abuse," according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

"I don't want blacks around me," the man reportedly shouted to the black flight attendant.

In a video uploaded to social media by passengers, the plane's captain ordered the passenger to leave the flight, as reported on SF Gate. The incident took place on March 14.

In the video, several security guards assisted in trying to remove the passenger, and a confrontation ensued. The passenger then left the plane and was reportedly detained by the Civil Guard at the Los Rodeos airport in Tenerife, El Pais reported.

The Spanish airline has reportedly filed a racial complaint against the unruly passenger.

"From Binter we want to express our utmost rejection and outrage at behaviors of this type and show our full support to our crews who constantly strive to provide the best service to our customers," the Spanish airline said in a statement, following the incident, according to SF Gate.

Binter also retweeted support of a social media user who called out the racist attack.

Todo mi apoyo para la azafata de @BinterCanarias que sufrió un ataque racista. Indignación que en el siglo en el que vivimos se sigan viviendo estas situaciones. Hasta cuando!!!!

— David García Cabrera (@davidgarcab) March 15, 2018

About the writer

Most recently, Tracy Lee has finished a documentary episode on national security examining the balance between the State Department and the Department of Defense for the Foreign Policy Association's Great Decisions documentary series that will air in 2018 on PBS. Over the last few years, Tracy Lee has covered a series of in-depth human interest stories in Brazil with highlighted work during the massive 2013 protests, and the fallout from the 2014 World Cup and 2017 Olympics in Rio’s communities. Previously, she has reported inside UN Headquarters on stories ranging from the 2010 Haiti Earthquake to the impact of the Arab Spring. In the past, she has covered local NYC breaking news for NY1. 


Most recently, Tracy Lee has finished a documentary episode on national security examining the balance between the State Department and ... Read more