An airline passenger has captured the disturbing scene as he was allegedly kicked off a flight after speaking Arabic on the phone with a relative.
YouTube star, Adam Saleh, shared the footage of the heated confrontation on a Delta flight after other passengers reportedly became ‘uncomfortable’.
The clip has since been shared more than 35,000 times and been widely condemned by other Twitter users.
Saleh tweeted the clip to his more than 240,000 followers yesterday saying: “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.”
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
The footage opens up with Saleh speaking to camera in the plane aisle while appearing to be ushered out.
He says:
“Guys we spoke a different language on the plane and now we are getting kicked out. Now we are getting kicked out. We are getting kicked out because we spoke a different language. This is 2016… 2016!”
Later in the clip the vlogger suggests that other passengers complained to staff because they became “uncomfortable” after hearing him speak Arabic.
He also says the Delta staff asked him to step “outside” the plane but argues that that meant he was about to be kicked off the flight.
Another passenger then becomes involved asking flight staff: “Why are you guys doing that, that is so upsetting”.
People on Twitter were quick voice their dismay at the incident.
https://twitter.com/SweetzCamila/status/811540390704726017
so upsetting
— Kaysha (@kaysha) December 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/janetzaratee/status/811533568019075072
I genuinely can't believe we are this close to approaching 2017 and people like this still exist 😫so upsetting 😖@omgAdamSaleh
— CHARLIE JONES (@CharlieJones) December 21, 2016
Since the video was posted Delta Airlines has confirmed there had been an incident.
It said in a statement to BuzzFeed News:
“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.”
