Delta Airlines has responded with a statement defending the company's actions with regards to YouTube star Adam Saleh, The New York Times reports. The company claimed that Saleh and his companions were disruptive, and that kicking them off the plane was warranted.
According to the statement, Saleh and his friends “sought to disrupt the cabin with provocative behavior, including shouting.”
“What is paramount to Delta is the safety and comfort of our passengers and employees,” the statement continues. “It is clear these individuals sought to violate that priority."
This story was originally published on December 21, 2015 at 2:25 p.m.
You can count Olivia Wilde in the ranks of people who are very angry at Delta Airlines right now.
On Wednesday morning, a video surfaced showing YouTuber Adam Saleh getting kicked out of a Delta flight for allegedly speaking Arabic during a phone conversation with his mom.
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The incident took place at the Heathrow Airport in London. According to Saleh, some white passengers complained about being uncomfortable because he was speaking another language.
We got kicked out of a @Delta airplane because I spoke Arabic to my mom on the phone and with my friend slim... WTFFFFFFFF please spread pic.twitter.com/P5dQCE0qos
— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016
Wilde was one of many on social media who strongly condemned Delta's course of action. She tweeted that she would not be flying Delta again.
You've got to be kidding me, @Delta. We won't be flying with you again. Unbelievable. https://t.co/Nz92xyIIoI
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) December 21, 2016
Fellow Americans, we are not defined by our narrow-minded president elect. If you witness discrimination, stand up and demand justice.
— olivia wilde (@oliviawilde) December 21, 2016
After the video went viral in the morning, the airline issued a statement saying, "Two customers were removed from this flight and later rebooked after a disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing their discomfort. We’re conducting a full review to understand what transpired. We are taking allegations of discrimination very seriously; our culture requires treating others with respect."
Meanwhile, some people have cautioned that Saleh has a history of pulling pranks.
Adam Saleh has already made (and admitted to the falsity of) hoax "social experiment" videos involving both racial profiling and airlines...
— jeff sterling (@jsterling86) December 21, 2016
Still others on social media have pointed out that whether it's a hoax or not doesn't really matter. After all, Delta has had a terrible record dealing with minority passengers this year.
even if Adam Saleh is pulling a prank or stunt, this wouldn't be the first time Delta has been racist to minority passengers. #BoycottDelta
— farwz (@farwzz) December 21, 2016