I was doing a post about people getting kicked-off an airplane because of screaming children, and then I found all of these other reasons to get kicked off an airplane
What can get you kicked off a plane? All airline companies have their own set of rules, but what they all share, is that the airline captain has the final decision on who to kick off the plane, and they are able to decide to land the plane earlier, to kick off a passenger. For security reasons, they have the final call.
I’ve made this list of 22 things that you can get kicked-off, and I have tried to document them all by sourcing where the story comes from.
Read on, you might learn something, it might even save you from getting kicked off the next time you board a plane.
22 reasons to get kicked of an airplane
Have you heard stories about people getting kicked off an airplane? It is all over the news when celebrities get kicked off, but no one is writing about, when normal people, like you and I, get kicked off.
There are some things that you need to be aware off, to make sure that you don’t get booted on your next flight, here are some of the reasons I found in my research.
#1 Stinking or smelling
This is from the Delta’s own Passenger’s Conduct handbook. It states that if your odor creates an unreasonable risk of offending or annoying other passengers, you will get asked to leave the plane.
I am happy, that this is a thing, but I would like to see it enforced by many more airplane companies. I might sound like a jerk, but how hard is it to take a shower and put on some antiperspirant roll-on.
On my travels, I have encountered both smelly fat old men, who reek of weeks-old sweat and lack of general hygiene.
And I have been sharing a row, with a lady, who clearly put on perfume by the gallon. I can endure perfume easier than heavy sweat-stinks, but my girlfriend would have had an allergic reaction if she has to sit next to walking perfume-bomb.
This might be my favorite rule, that I don’t see being enforced enough.
Source: https://www.delta.com/content/…
#2 Dressing too sexy
This is also from the Delta handbook. But there is also a story about a pair of teenage girls who were kicked-off a United airplane, for wearing leggings.
Passengers need to be properly clothed, and just as Delta describes in their manual, you cannot be wear clothing, that might be offensive in an airplane.
Read a story about it, from Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/…
#3 Not wearing any shoes
This is a surprise for me because I always take off my shoes when I go on a plane. And apparently, the flight attendants do not want to see you walking around without your shoes.
When I think about it, it is actually a great rule, because if all of the passengers took off their shoes in a plane, I am guessing the smell would be a bit different.
This is news to me.
It is described in the Delta manual, but the way I read it, it is if you are not wearing any socks. By that I mean, if you walk around barefoot, which I never have done, only in my socks, maybe that’s okay? I can’t find a straight answer to that question.
Here is a story about it in readers digest: https://www.rd.com/advice/trav…
#4 Being drunk or intoxicated
Number one rule in the Delta handbook under Passengers Conduct or Condition, it tells us that if you appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, you are out.
That is if you behave disorderly, abusive or violent. I actually, almost always, have had a beer in the airport, I don’t know if this is a European thing, but the last time I flew, the airline personal sold quite a lot of beer and vodka to a few rows of senior citizens who had quite a party, in the front rows.
#5 Being sick
As a part of both the Delta handbook, but also almost any other airline company, I’ve researched online.
Being sick is actually a most likely reason to get kicked off, an extension of the number four tip is, if you look like you are going to vomit, you will probably get thrown off.
If you have, what looks like a contagious disease that might be transferred to some of the other flight passengers, you will be asked to leave the plane.
If you have a serious disease or is sick with cancer or any other illness, you would probably be asked to hand out a doctors note, stating that you are okay to fly.
#6 Aggressive behavior towards the crew
This is reiterated with a lot of examples down the following tips on this list, but the reasoning is, that if the flight personal feels threatened or uncomfortable in your presence, they are allowed to kick you off.
Think about it. They are at work, and just doing their job, and they are probably working their ass off on a very low salary. You are on your way to a holiday, home from a holiday or on a business trip.
You should be the one, helping the flight attendant having an easier day, what if it was you, just trying to do your job. Be kind in general, and when you are boarding a plane.
#7 Getting physical with someone
So the tip is that, basically, you shouldn’t get in a fight with someone on the plane. But this should make perfect sense to any rational thinking people.
What I also read on a lot of blogs online is, that you shouldn’t be kissing or snuggling either. So, my conclusion on this, the number seven is, just do not touch anyone.
Just kidding, but if you want to get romantic, you should probably keep it down and wait until you get to where you are going.
#8 Trying to open the plane door
If you are not instructed specifically to open the plane door, then you shouldn’t even touch it. Luckily it should not even be possible to open the door during flight.
If you think this is something people would never do, then read this story from the independent where a woman tried to open the door, while shouting “I am god”
Read the story here: https://www.independent.co.uk/…
#9 Being rude to other passengers
It is required of you to behave respectfully of other passengers on your plane. If you have anger issues and enjoy a good argument, then wait until you land, the airline will not hesitate to kick you off the plane, for the sake of everybody else.
But just be a nice person in general, it makes both life and traveling a lot easier. If you are an angry sour pout, please stay at home.
Link to American Airlines: https://www.aa.com/i18n/custom…
#10 Being too big for the plane
If you are a big guy, or girl, and you don’t fit in one seat, then you will have to order two conjoining seats and a seatbelt extender.
You have to be able to fit in the seat, with the seatbelt fastened. This is not about how much you weigh, but how big your butt and belly is.
You should really research the rules of the airline if you think you are at risk of being too big for a seat.
#11 Breaking or trying to break stuff in the plane
This is also a part of the Delta handbook i referred to earlier.
If you destroy Aircraft property, you will get kicked of the plane. This seams logical too me, so if you ever get stuck under a table, that doesn’t fold up or you encounter a touch screen that doesn’t behave the way you want it to do.
Then you should contact airline personal, instead of going on a rampage. Apply some logical thinking.
#12 Trying to break other people’s stuff
Do not try to crush other passengers stuff in the overhead space. If you feel like there is not enough room for you or people are taking up too much space, then you should get a hold of the flight attendant.
I can’t find the source for this, but it seems like a logical thing and something that could get you into a fight. And as previously mentioned, getting in a fight would, logically, get you thrown off the plane.
Anything you do in the plane, that is illegal in the real world, such as destroying other people’s property and personal belongings, would most likely get you thrown off an airplane.
This is also a part of Delta’s handbook
#13 Joining the “Mile High-club”
In Britain, it is punishable by prison to make love, in a public place, but even though it is not illegal everywhere in the world, it is not something you should do.
Slate writes a story about a couple, who went to the bathroom too little too long and set off a security alert.
The authorities sent a pair of fighter jets to follow the plane until they landed at the next airport.
Read more about this story here: https://slate.com/news-and-pol…
#14 Doing math
A 40-year-old economist, with a foreign look, was ethnically profiled and interrogated for doing equations on an Airplane in 2016.
Guido Menzio was doing math in his notebook and his seatmate couldn’t figure out what he was doing and got scared.
Menzio was asked to leave the plane. It was later revealed that he was writing differential math-equations. Menzio is told to be an award-winning, ivy league economist and scholar.
Read more about Guido Menzio in The Washington Post here: https://www.washingtonpost.com…
#15 Dressing too differently
This is an extension of dressing too sexy. The rule is that you should not be dressing in a way, that will offend anyone.
A woman named, Lorrie Heasley, was forced to leave a plane departing from Reno because she was wearing a political t-shirt with some dirty language about former presidents.
You can read more about Lorrie, in the New York Times here: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/1…
Two American Muslim religious leaders were pulled from a plane heading to North Carolina.
As the story goes, they were actually heading for a conference about prejudices against American Muslims.
Read more about the two Muslims in CNN here: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TR…
#16 Negative comments on Twitter
I don’t know if this is true, but there is a story about people being refused to board because they posted negative stuff about the airline before getting on the plane.
If this is true, then maybe you should wait to express your opinion, until after the travel.
You know what? You should just stop using Social Media while on vacation
#17 Smoking
This can’t be news to anyone.
But it might be anyway.
I personally witnessed someone trying to light a cigarette on a flight to New York. I was shocked, and remember thinking that he must be very “special”
He was actually not kicked off the plane. He apologized and put away his cigarettes.
That goes to show, that if you accept that what the flight attendants tell you, is what you need to do, then you might be alright.
#18 Ignoring the instructions by flight attendants
I seam that especially actors do not like to follow instructions provided by the flight attendants. There are many stories online of actors who refuse to turn off the cell-phone when taking off.
The Actor Alec Baldwin was kicked off, off an American Airlines flight because he refused to turn off his phone.
He claims to be playing a game called Words With Friends, but the other passengers say that he was actually talking on the phone, and a crew member said he was removed because he became violent and aggressive toward the staff.
Read more about Alec Baldwin and American Airlines, in CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/a…
#19 Being too demanding
Reportedly, three Arab Princesses were kicked-off of a British Airway airplane taking off in Milan, because the refused to sit next to men, who they weren’t related to.
This is a question about the difference in culture, but in my opinion, they should have thought of this when booking their ticket. If you have religious demands like this, then book an entire row of seats.
If you are a real princess, then why don’t you fly private?
This was the airline captains decision. I guess they should have thought about that, before taking off.
Read about the 3, supposedly Arab Princesses and their experience in the Daily Mail: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ne…
#20 Not wanting to sit next to a child
This is a story about a stressed out, beauty saleswoman who got booted because she loudly complained about sitting next to a mom and her 8 months old son.
I personally think that rude people like this woman, does not deserve to be boarded, so, I think it was a good decision to give her a lesson.
Whether she was kicked off for complaining about children or for getting in an argument with the flight-attendant is unclear to me.
You can read the story in the New York Post here: https://nypost.com/2018/02/14/…
#21 Overselling and bumping
The airline might have sold to many tickets for the flight you are going on, or they might want to give up your seat for an employee of the airline company.
There are hundreds of different rules, that means you basically have no rights as a passenger.
You can read more about the case, where United Airlines forcefully had to drag out a passenger, to make room for the carrier’s employees here:
#22 A crying child
I did an entire blog post about this subject, which you can read all about, by following this link.
Do you know of any more reasons to get kicked off an airplane?
Then write it in the comments below.
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