Sha’Carri Richardson, an American track and field standout, reported on Instagram on Saturday that she was removed from an American Airlines flight following an incident with a flight attendant.
The 23-year-old alleged that the flight attendant, identified by Richardson as “John,” mistreated her while she was using her phone before to takeoff. She posted a video of herself sitting in her seat, followed by a pan to the flight attendant.
Richardson captioned one of her videos as follows: “Prior to the video, this gentleman requested that I end a cell phone call, which I did.” “I told him I didn’t appreciate his tone with me. After that, while he stood in front of me performing the safety procedures, he continued to lean over to examine my phone. At this point, he requested confirmation that my phones were on airplane mode. He requested that I demonstrate. Which I did in his presence.”
Richardson stated that she was on vacation, but it’s unclear where she was traveling from or to. In her video, she continued to quarrel with the flight attendant, and after showing him to the camera, he retreated behind a curtain. After requesting the flight attendant to cease filming, Richardson responded animatedly to her. The footage does not show the flight attendant’s initial comments towards Richardson.
“I’m recording myself, but you jumped into my video, so I caught you on camera,” Richardson told the flight attendant. “You are currently tormenting me, thus I believe you should cease. I believe you should cease.”
Multiple passengers can then be heard begging Richardson to stop arguing with the flight attendant as she continues to do so.
“You guys see him, right? You saw him, correct? You saw him, correct? “I apologize, but it’s not me,” Richardson replied. “Talk to him. No ma’am. Do no talk to me like that. I’m an adult. Do not speak to me in that manner. Do not speak to me in that manner. Tell him to cease. If you do not understand what is happening, do not yell at me.”
Richardson had another altercation with a different passenger, and he claims that she, too, was insulted by other passengers. During her explanation that she believes the flight attendant should have been removed as well, another passenger can be heard saying, “Thank you, but I’m going to miss my connection, so I must now exit the aircraft.”
“Oh, so you’re concerned about our relationship when a grown man disrespects me?” Richardson gave a reply.
The passenger said, “I could care less.”
Richardson was then removed off the aircraft, where she proceeded to exchange obscenities with passengers and flight personnel. As she left, she was met with applause.
“Tell me if I’m wrong to seek legal action against @americanair. Not only did the man threaten me, but he also threatened an innocent bystander who only wanted a picture with me. Richardson shared a video of a male flight attendant threatening a female passenger. At the beginning of the video, a white man can be heard saying, “I don’t give a f as a man that this flight attendant is intimidating a woman.” “Also, the captain was not doing anything to help the situation, and this flight attendant received applause when I exited the aircraft, despite the fact that the disrespect I experienced would not have occurred if I were one of them.”
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