YouTube star known for pranks claims he was kicked
off Delta flight for speaking Arabic
off Delta flight for speaking Arabic
An Arab American vlogger known for his YouTube pranks claimed
he was kicked off a Delta Air Lines plane Wednesday morning because other
passengers felt uncomfortable that he spoke to his mother on the phone in
Arabic — an account that the airline company and at least one passenger have
contradicted.
he was kicked off a Delta Air Lines plane Wednesday morning because other
passengers felt uncomfortable that he spoke to his mother on the phone in
Arabic — an account that the airline company and at least one passenger have
contradicted.
Adam Saleh, a 23-year-old Internet personality, tweeted a
video showing him and a friend, Slim Albaher, about to be removed from the
plane.
video showing him and a friend, Slim Albaher, about to be removed from the
plane.
“Guys, we spoke a different language on the plane and now
we’re getting kicked out,” a visibly upset Saleh said to the camera. “This is
2016. 2016. Look, Delta Air Lines are kicking us out because we spoke a
different language. You guys are racist. I cannot believe my eyes.”
we’re getting kicked out,” a visibly upset Saleh said to the camera. “This is
2016. 2016. Look, Delta Air Lines are kicking us out because we spoke a
different language. You guys are racist. I cannot believe my eyes.”
As his video and subsequent tweets went viral, Saleh’s account
was questioned by many on social media — even as his agent insisted to The
Washington Post that the incident was not a prank.
was questioned by many on social media — even as his agent insisted to The
Washington Post that the incident was not a prank.
In the video, as Saleh panned the camera around the plane
cabin, a few passengers waved. Several could be heard shouting: “Bye!”
cabin, a few passengers waved. Several could be heard shouting: “Bye!”
At least one passenger could be seen coming to Saleh’s
defense, telling flight attendants that he thought what was happening was
“insane.”
defense, telling flight attendants that he thought what was happening was
“insane.”
“I am upset that that’s happening, really upset,” the
passenger said. “Is there freedom of speech? They can speak in whatever
language they want to on the plane.”
passenger said. “Is there freedom of speech? They can speak in whatever
language they want to on the plane.”
Early Wednesday, Delta officials confirmed that two people
were removed from the flight from London Heathrow International Airport to New
York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
were removed from the flight from London Heathrow International Airport to New
York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
At first, the airline did not elaborate further, only saying
that “a disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing
their discomfort” and that it would conduct a full review after the plane
landed.
that “a disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing
their discomfort” and that it would conduct a full review after the plane
landed.
Wednesday evening, the airline released a new statement saying
that Saleh and Albaher had been “provocative.”
that Saleh and Albaher had been “provocative.”
“Upon landing the crew was debriefed and multiple passenger
statements collected,” the statement read. “Based on the information collected
to date, it appears the customers who were removed sought to disrupt the cabin
with provocative behavior, including shouting. This type of conduct is not
welcome on any Delta flight. While one, according to media reports, is a known prankster
who was video recorded and encouraged by his traveling companion, what is
paramount to Delta is the safety and comfort of our passengers and employees.
It is clear these individuals sought to violate that priority.”
statements collected,” the statement read. “Based on the information collected
to date, it appears the customers who were removed sought to disrupt the cabin
with provocative behavior, including shouting. This type of conduct is not
welcome on any Delta flight. While one, according to media reports, is a known prankster
who was video recorded and encouraged by his traveling companion, what is
paramount to Delta is the safety and comfort of our passengers and employees.
It is clear these individuals sought to violate that priority.”
Anthony Ellis, a passenger on the flight, told The Post that
he was seated a row ahead of Saleh and Albaher, and had heard one of them shouting
something while the other filmed people’s reactions.
he was seated a row ahead of Saleh and Albaher, and had heard one of them shouting
something while the other filmed people’s reactions.
Ellis, who speaks some Arabic, didn’t understand the word —
and thought “maybe it was a goof that he was shouting to his friend.”
and thought “maybe it was a goof that he was shouting to his friend.”
The two were not acting maliciously, he said, but almost like
some students heading to Cancun for spring break would be, Ellis said.
some students heading to Cancun for spring break would be, Ellis said.
When other passengers told them to stop shouting, however, it
escalated. But Ellis said he did not hear Saleh speaking on the phone in
Arabic.
escalated. But Ellis said he did not hear Saleh speaking on the phone in
Arabic.
“He was never any part on the phone — I would have heard the
whole conversation,” Ellis said. “If someone’s being racist, I would stand up
right away. In this day in age, you defend each other. It wasn’t like that. I
mean, this guy was trying to antagonize people. I think because they made it
into such a big scenario, [Saleh] then kind of panicked a little bit.”
whole conversation,” Ellis said. “If someone’s being racist, I would stand up
right away. In this day in age, you defend each other. It wasn’t like that. I
mean, this guy was trying to antagonize people. I think because they made it
into such a big scenario, [Saleh] then kind of panicked a little bit.”
Flight-tracking records showed the plane departed Heathrow at
11:03 a.m. local time, about an hour after its scheduled departure. It was
scheduled to land at JFK around 2:45 p.m.
11:03 a.m. local time, about an hour after its scheduled departure. It was
scheduled to land at JFK around 2:45 p.m.
[Muslim couple says they were kicked off Delta flight for
using phone, saying ‘Allah’]
using phone, saying ‘Allah’]
Saleh’s tweets were shared tens of thousands of times. Within
a few hours, the original video depicting him on the plane had been retweeted
more than 300,000 times and #BoycottDelta had become the top trending topic
worldwide on Twitter.
a few hours, the original video depicting him on the plane had been retweeted
more than 300,000 times and #BoycottDelta had become the top trending topic
worldwide on Twitter.
On Wednesday, skeptics noted Saleh’s history and cast doubt on
his account of getting kicked off a Delta flight.
his account of getting kicked off a Delta flight.
Saleh started making YouTube videos as a teenager and has
since achieved some level of fame as a YouTube star and vlogger. He is known
for playing pranks on people, and often those recorded pranks center on the
different treatment of Muslims in everyday life.
since achieved some level of fame as a YouTube star and vlogger. He is known
for playing pranks on people, and often those recorded pranks center on the
different treatment of Muslims in everyday life.
Some took place on airplanes, such as one Saleh posted in
February titled “COUNTING DOWN IN ARABIC ON A PLANE EXPERIMENT!!”
February titled “COUNTING DOWN IN ARABIC ON A PLANE EXPERIMENT!!”
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