A YouTube star known for pulling pranks on planes claims he was kicked off a Delta flight from London to New York City on Wednesday because he spoke Arabic in a call to his mother, but the airline says he was being disruptive.
Adam Saleh, of Brooklyn, told his story in a series of tweets and videos posted online.
“We got kicked out of a @Delta airplane because I spoke Arabic to my mom on the phone and with my friend slim,” he tweeted.
In a video, he claimed that passengers felt “uncomfortable” because he was speaking a different language. “This is 2016 … I cannot believe my eyes, I cannot believe it,” he said in the video.
He also said that it was “six white people against us bearded men.”
Delta, in a statement, confirmed that two passengers were removed from the flight. The airline said Saleh and his friend “sought to disrupt the cabin with provocative behavior, including shouting.” It added that the “disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing their discomfort.”
“This type of conduct is not welcome on any Delta flight,” Delta said. “What is paramount to Delta is the safety and comfort of our passengers and employees. It is clear these individuals sought to violate that priority.”
Saleh, who has more than 1.6 million subscribers on his prank-heavy YouTube account, tweeted that he and his friend took another flight with a different airline back to the city.
