A Black man, who was wearing a “Trump 2020” mask, was reportedly kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight after he lowered his mask to eat a snack.
Video captured of the incident shows the passenger, who was also wearing a “Black Voices for Trump” hat, shows him talking to a crew member while holding a bag of mixed nuts and wearing his mask under his chin.
“Tell us the policy that says he cannot eat with his mask off?” a woman who was filming the video is heard asking. “It’s the hat and the mask — it’s not the eating.”
A representative from Southwest Airlines claims the ejection came after multiple employees asked him to wear a face covering, the Washington Examiner reports.
“Our reports indicate that a Customer traveling on Flight 2632, with scheduled service from Tampa to Dallas, was asked repeatedly by more than one employee at different times to wear a face mask,” the rep said. “The customer did not comply with our crew’s multiple verbal requests — including while boarding the flight before seated.”
The company rep says he was removed from the flight and placed on a different one.
“The decision was made to return to the gate and re-accommodate him on a later flight to his final destination after receiving assurances he would comply with our face-covering policy,” they said. “We regret the inconvenience the situation created for all involved, but our crew must uphold the well-being and comfort of all Passengers.”
Southwest Airlines policy requires all passengers, age 2 and older, to wear face coverings on flights to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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