An Allegiant Airlines passenger was kicked off a flight because he refused to change his mask from one that purportedly had the slogan “Let’s go Brandon,” video shows.
The clip posted by Libs of TikTok shows the man, wearing a surgical mask, arguing with an airline employee who mentions the “comment you’ve written on there.”
Though the video does not show the message on his mask, the caption said it featured the slogan, “Let’s Go Brandon,” a not-so-secret code for “F–k Joe Biden” among detractors.
“Today you can’t have let’s go Brandon on your mask or you will be removed,” the caption said.
Footage showed the woman repeatedly telling the passenger to gather his belongings and get off the plane.
She also tells him she doesn’t give him permission to record her — though the video is captured by someone else.
Allegiant told Fox Business that the man was removed for ignoring the crew member’s instructions.
“The video in question depicts part of an incident involving a passenger who failed to comply with repeated crew member requests to adhere to the federal face mask policy,” the airline said in a statement.
“The passenger was removed from the flight and issued a refund for his fare. Disregarding instructions from flight crew members is prohibited by federal regulations and is grounds for removal from a flight where such conduct creates an unsafe environment.
“The decision to remove a passenger is never made lightly and is always done with the safety of our passengers and crew in mind,” the airline told Fox Business.
“In April, the FAA adopted a zero-tolerance policy against unruly passenger behavior, which includes failure to comply with crew members’ instructions. We welcome the FAA’s renewed strong stance on unruly passengers, understanding the safety risk such incidents can create for both passengers and crew,” it added.
Allegiant didn’t specify why the passenger was deemed “unruly” or why his inscription violated the rules.
In a similar recent incident, a Spirit Airlines passenger claimed he was forced to remove his electronic face mask featuring the same slogan.
Adam Radogna, a supporter of former President Donald Trump flying from Cleveland, Ohio, to Tampa, Florida, last month, posted a viral video showing him being handed a surgical mask to replace the one he was wearing.
And in October, a Southwest Airlines pilot was captured on video saying “Let’s go Brandon” over the flight’s intercom.
The phrase took on a life of its own, as conservatives used it as a rallying cry to demonstrate their belief that the mainstream media treat President Biden with paradoxical favoritism.
It emerged after an NBC Sports reporter, during an interview with NASCAR driver Brandon Brown, claimed fans were chanting “Let’s go Brandon” when they were actually shouting the slur against the commander-in-chief.
