I’m a flight attendant — here are 9 surprising ways to get kicked off a flight
These reasons might fly under the radar for many.
While it’s well known that fights, bomb threats and other overt antics can get flyers forcibly deplaned, there are less obvious jettison-worthy offenses. One flight attendant has shared some seemingly innocuous behaviors and situations that’ll apparently get you booted off the aircraft, which she detailed in a TikTok video with 1 million views.
“Beware! Airlines can deny you boarding for these reasons!” air hostess Sandra Jeenie Kwon — who goes by @jeanie.weenie on the Platform — warned in the clip to her over 10.7 million followers.
Both puking and appearing intoxicated will land you on the no-fly list, per the video.
“While boarding if a flight attendant can sense that you might be a little sick and about to puke, they can deny you boarding,” the flight attendant, who works fork an unspecified airline, explained. “I know some of you like to drink before a flight but just remember if you look way too drunk, we can deny you boarding.”
In fact, inebriation is one of several things flight attendants check for while welcoming passengers aboard the aircraft. So exercise some booze control.
Elsewhere in the clip, Kwon explained that arriving “barefoot” can also get flyers bounced from the plane. Alas this same rule doesn’t apply to passengers who remove their footwear inflight, as evidenced by the myriad pedi crime photos circulating online.
By a similar token, “smelling bad” won’t fly either, per the crew member, who suggests that people enlist a family member or friend to “sniff” them before a flight to see if they past the smell test.
This rule also holds true for flyers with foul-smelling luggage as well, so maybe leave the durian at the door.
Depending on the airline, dressing “inappropriately” can earn passengers someone a one-way ticket off the plane, Kwon explained.
“Some airlines have a dress code but no dress code,” Kwon explained. “Clearly, if you’re naked, you’re not getting on. But some airlines will actually deny you boarding if you’re wearing something a little bit too sexy.”
In other words, this ain’t that kind of runway.
Needless to say, this inflight fashion policing has been a contentious issue of late with some passengers claiming they’ve been flagged for wearing something as innocuous as a corset.
On a more sensitive note, plus-size flyers may be asked to leave if they can’t be accommodated as this can be a safety hazard.
Specifically, “if you cannot safely put on your seatbelt with a seatbelt extender, the flight attendants can deny you boarding,” warned Kwon.
Similarly, many airlines require flyers of size to purchase an extra seat if they’re unable to fasten said extender or if they’re too big to fit in one sky chair — a policy that’s sparked outrage in the body-positive community.
In fact, just having a seatbelt extender precludes passengers from sitting in an exit row due to safety concerns.
“Seatbelt extensions can obstruct the emergency exits,” travel blog The Points Guy explained. “Seatbelt extensions potentially become entangled in the seatbelts of nearby passengers, become snagged on nearby objects, or create a tripping hazard for passengers evacuating the aircraft.”
They continued, “The second reason passengers requiring additional assistance or seatbelt extensions due to their size cannot be seated in the exit row is due to decreased mobility.”
The last — and perhaps most controversial — situation that can get one rejected is looking “really pregnant.” Kwon explained that if “you don’t have a doctor’s note to prove how many weeks you are or if you can fly, they may deny you boarding.”
Policies vary depending on the airline. United airlines, for instance requires expectant mothers to have a doctor’s note by their third trimester.
“Once you reach 36 weeks, you’ll need a letter from your obstetrician saying it’s okay for you to travel,” they write on their site. “THIS LETTER MUST: Be dated within 3 days of the start of your trip.”
This punishment might seem cruel and unusual; however, airline staffers aren’t equipped to deal with prenatal medical complications or — worse yet — someone having a baby on board.
But don’t even think about protesting these policies because if you’re “disrespectful,” “we can deny you boarding,” declared the flight attendant.
