A passenger claims she was kicked off a United flight for wearing a T-shirt with an upside down flag and a baseball cap that read “Black Panther.” According to Amanda Stevens, the clothing made the pilot “uncomfortable,” and she was asked to leave.
https://twitter.com/sagegnosis/status/786262101006356480
He didn’t seem that bothered to give me a smug look when he walked past me to the bathroom @united
— Mandi🦄🏳️⚧️✨ (@AmandaTNStevens) October 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/sagegnosis/status/786262732265914370
The pilot feels “uncomfortable” @united I didn’t know he has to look at me while he flies. I feel uncomfortable having a racist pilot
— Mandi🦄🏳️⚧️✨ (@AmandaTNStevens) October 12, 2016
Kicked off the flight
— Mandi🦄🏳️⚧️✨ (@AmandaTNStevens) October 12, 2016
The hat was a reference to Black Panther, the Marvel character who recently appeared in Captain America: Civil War. Her shirt was an A$AP Rocky design, which was pulled from stores after complaints that the upside down flag was “disrespectful.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to both Stevens and United about the incident, and will update if and when either respond. Stevens told io9 that she was allowed to board the plane, but that after a tense interaction with a flight attendant, “I didn’t know if I was going to be staying on the plane or not, and I said that.” She said her exchange with the flight attendant was given as the reason she was kicked off the flight.
United appeared to reach out to Stevens via Twitter to “follow-up” on the incident.
Amanda, could you please DM your confirmation number and MileagePlus information? We’d like to follow-up on this. ^KV
— United Airlines (@united) October 12, 2016
Stevens is a freelancer who covers esports and said on Twitter she was on her way to LoL Esports Worlds.
