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YouTube star Adam Saleh 'kicked off' Delta Air Lines flight | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A YouTube star's video about his removal from a Delta Air Lines flight has gone viral across social media. | |
Adam Saleh told the BBC he was asked to get off the London-New York flight on Wednesday after speaking to his mother in Arabic on the phone. | Adam Saleh told the BBC he was asked to get off the London-New York flight on Wednesday after speaking to his mother in Arabic on the phone. |
He said a fellow passenger had expressed feeling uncomfortable. | |
Delta Air Lines confirmed that two customers were removed after a "disturbance" and said it would investigate the report. | |
The incident is said to have taken place while the plane was still at Heathrow airport, and also involved Mr Saleh's friend. | The incident is said to have taken place while the plane was still at Heathrow airport, and also involved Mr Saleh's friend. |
Mr Saleh said: "This lady screamed, 'what is he saying?' and said she felt uncomfortable. | |
"The captain came and asked what happened. | "The captain came and asked what happened. |
"I was so disgusted I took a video as I was being asked to leave," he added. | "I was so disgusted I took a video as I was being asked to leave," he added. |
'I just froze' | |
US airline Delta released a statement on its website saying "more than 20 customers" expressed their discomfort. It is unclear whether they were referring to the Arabic speaking, or the disturbance that followed. | |
"We take all allegations of discrimination seriously and we are gathering all of the facts before jumping to any conclusion," the statement said. | |
It continued, "Maintaining a safe, comfortable and orderly onboard environment is paramount for every flight and requires the co-operation of all of our customers." | |
Mr Saleh said he later boarded a different flight with a different company. | Mr Saleh said he later boarded a different flight with a different company. |
"Once we were off the [Delta Airlines] plane, we were told it was because we were being loud. You don't just kick someone off for being loud!" said Mr Saleh. | "Once we were off the [Delta Airlines] plane, we were told it was because we were being loud. You don't just kick someone off for being loud!" said Mr Saleh. |
Mr Saleh's friend, Slim Albaher, who was also escorted off the plane, said: "I just froze. It was like something you'd only see in the movies." | Mr Saleh's friend, Slim Albaher, who was also escorted off the plane, said: "I just froze. It was like something you'd only see in the movies." |
Mr Saleh is well-known for carrying out pranks, which he posts on YouTube. | Mr Saleh is well-known for carrying out pranks, which he posts on YouTube. |
Earlier this month, he claimed to have hidden in a suitcase and travelled from Melbourne to Sydney in the hold. It was later exposed as a hoax. | Earlier this month, he claimed to have hidden in a suitcase and travelled from Melbourne to Sydney in the hold. It was later exposed as a hoax. |
Mr Saleh has also filmed a number of experiments to see how plane passengers respond to flying alongside Muslims. | |
Numerous Arabic speakers have reported being questioned, or made to leave planes, and felt it was because their race or assumptions about their religion. | |
London pastor Olaolu Opebiyi was removed from an easyJet plane in March, after a passenger spotted a "prayer on his phone" and reported him as a security threat. | |
An Iraqi university student in California said he was escorted off a Southwest Airlines flight in the US after having a conversation in Arabic in April. | |
Faizah Shaheen, a Muslim from Leeds, was detained by UK airport police under terror laws in August, after she was spotted reading a book on Syrian culture during her honeymoon flight. | |
Delta Airlines has in the past been accused of racism. | |
In October, Tamika Cross, a black doctor, said her credentials were questioned when she tried to help a patient on an internal US flight. | |
Earlier this week, the airline announced it had investigated the doctor's "unfortunate encounter", and would be changing its policy and training as a result. | |
Mr Saleh's many followers picked up his Delta Airlines story, and in just three hours his video had more than 120,000 retweets and five million views on Facebook. | |
Soon after the Heathrow incident, the hashtag #BoycottDelta was trending in London and his updates on Twitter were getting lots of shares. | |
Compiled by Sherie Ryder, UGC and Social Media team | Compiled by Sherie Ryder, UGC and Social Media team |