FlySafair Removes Passenger for No Mask: "Safety Will Always Come 1st"
- A video circulating on social media of an unknown man refusing to wear a mask on an airline has gone viral
- The video caused quite the as the passenger was visibly unruly as he was being removed from the plane
- FlySafair stood firmly by the decision to have him removed citing the safety of their passengers as the reasoning
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A clip just over two minutes long of a passenger being removed from a FlySafair flight has gone viral on social media. The clip shows the unknown passenger becoming aggressive after being removed for not following Covid-19 protocols.
The passenger was not wearing a mask and became rowdy when attendants attempted to remove him. FlySafair stands by its decision to remove the passenger from their plane adding that it is the crew's responsibility, by law, to enforce these regulations.
Speaking to Briefly.co.za, FlySafair's Chief Marketing Officer Kirby Gordon said the reality is that the removal of the passenger is "the right thing to do".
Source: Twitter
The airline said to Briefly.co.za:
“Where previously our crew were able to put customers at ease and offer them snacks and drinks, they are now required by law, not airline policy, to enforce many of these regulations which we understand are sometimes uncomfortable for customers.
"The reality is that it’s the right thing to do. We care very deeply about customer experience and on-time performance but safety will always come first, and this incident was a question of safety.”
Take a look at the video below:
Below are just a few of the responses left under the video:
@LoveSwaziland wrote:
"Why not arrested as well? It’s the law he broke it and other passengers have a right to lay charges against him accordingly so can the airline claim delay expenses from him?"
@ezioivan1 shared:
"Ridiculous. He knew of the rules when he bought his ticket if he didn't want to follow them he should've driven to Joburg then. He should think of the Healthcare and restaurant workers and schoolkids who wear masks for 80% of the day but he can't handle it for a 2-hour flight."
Previously, Briefly.co.za reported that a passenger was escorted off a FlySafair flight. The unnamed man had reportedly refused instruction to place the mask over his mouth and nose by both the cabin crew staff and the pilot, leaving them no choice but to ask him to get off the plane, which was already heading towards the runway.
Other passengers who found themselves in the midst of the aeroplane facemask drama took short clips of the incident which have been making its way around the internet. Meanwhile, the airline's spokesman, Kirby Gordon had this to say about the incident:
"The gentleman refused to wear his facemask, which is national law and Civil Aviation regulation and it happened before the aircraft took off. We unfortunately had to turn back to the terminal and he was escorted off the aircraft by SAPS."
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Source: Briefly News
