Delta Bans Ranting Pro-Trump Passenger For Life, Gives Refunds
ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WWJ/AP) - Delta Air Lines is banning for life a passenger who rudely professed his support for Republican President-elect Donald Trump and insulted those who didn't on a flight to Pennsylvania.
CEO Edward Bastian says in an internal memo dated Monday that the airline is also refunding the cost of tickets for other passengers on the Nov. 22 flight from Atlanta to Allentown.
A video posted on Facebook by a passenger and viewed more than 2 millions times shows a man standing in the aisle, yelling and insulting supporters of Democrat Hillary Clinton.
NOTE: Video contains some strong language/profanity.
The man asks loudly: "We got some Hillary bitches on here?" Referring to Trump's victory, he says: "If you don't like it, too bad."
The Atlanta-based airline on Saturday, over Thanksgiving weekend, issued a statement apologizing to the passengers on the flight.
Bastian says the ranting man shouldn't have been allowed to remain on the plane.
"After questioning the customer, our team members made the best decision they could given the information they had and allowed him to remain on the flight. However, if our colleagues had witnessed firsthand what was shown in the video, there is no question they would have removed him from the aircraft," he wrote in the memo, with the subject line "Disruptive Passenger on DL248."
He called the passenger's behavior "loud, rude and disrespectful to his fellow customers," adding Delta had to admit it made a mistake in this case so it can better handle similar situations in the future.
TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.