A passenger was ejected off a FlySafair plane, minutes before takeoff, because he refused to wear a face mask.
The angry man can be seen arguing with a flight attendant in a video that has gone viral on social media, while another man – presumably security – can be seen directing him off the flight.
During the uproar, passengers on the crowded flight can be heard telling the man to put on his mask.
Kirby Gordon, the Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair, confirmed the incident, saying the man was eventually escorted off the flight, reports IOL.
“Flight FA201 was due to depart Cape Town for Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport at 08:50 … (on Tuesday morning). Shortly after the doors were closed and stairs were retracted a passenger reacted negatively and aggressively toward the legal requirement that he wear his mask aboard the aircraft,” Gordon said.
The flight eventually departed Cape Town at 9.10am.
“Customer experience and on time departures are very important to us, but nothing is more important than safety. We commend our teams for following safety procedure by the book to secure the aircraft and remove the individual, and we thank those customers who assisted our team,” Gordon said.
The Airline did not press any charges.
Picture: Unsplash