YouTube star kicked off flight for speaking Arabic; Social media abuzz

Delta has confirmed two customers were removed from Delta Flight 1 after a disturbance

An incident, in which YouTube star Adam Saleh, along with his friend were deboarded from a Delta flight for allegedly speaking 'Arabic' has been taking social media by the storm. The 23-year old recorded video of his removal and posted it on Twitter and Periscope. His video was retweeted over 726,000 times.

 

Saleh who was travelling with his friend Slim Albaher, another YouTube personality from London to New York said that when passengers heard him speak Arabic, they 'felt uncomfortable' and called flight attendants. He was then removed from the flight at London’s Heathrow airport.

 

“They kicked us off the plane because a lady, because a lot of people felt uncomfortable,” Saleh said. “Delta Air Lines just kicked us out for speaking Arabic.”

 

 

According to a report in The Guardian, Saleh said, "Usually before I take off I speak to my mom, who only speaks Arabic. After the call, I starting conversing with my friend in Arabic when 'this lady that was sitting maybe four seats ahead of us turns around and says: ‘Oh my, you need to speak English, I’m feeling very uncomfortable.’” Saleh said after another passenger defended the two, an older man the woman was travelling with also got involved.

 

According to Saleh, he said: “Chuck them off the f-ing plane!” before other men stood up and called for the captain.

 

The woman who originally complained told the captain: “We feel uncomfortable – something happened in Germany. If they don’t leave, I leave,” according to Saleh.

Thank you for all your support pic.twitter.com/ukQ4EGVQ6r

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 22, 2016

We got kicked out of a @Delta airplane because I spoke Arabic to my mom on the phone and with my friend slim... WTFFFFFFFF please spread pic.twitter.com/P5dQCE0qos

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016

While Delta has confirmed "two customers were removed from Delta Flight 1 departing London-Heathrow after a disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing their discomfort,", it has categorically denied Saleh's accusation of discrimination on the basis of language.

 

In a statement issued by the company, following Saleh's post, it said, "it appears the customers who were removed sought to disrupt the cabin with provocative behavior, including shouting. This type of conduct is not welcome on any Delta flight."

Updated statement: Customers removed for disruptive behavior | Delta News Hub: https://t.co/AfM3hjaawz

— Delta (@Delta) December 22, 2016

Following this, they were escorted off the flight and had been rebooked on another flight to New York with a different airline after going through the security check a second time.

 

Delta made this statement after the landing the crew was debriefed and multiple passenger statements collected.

 

Prior to this, the company had said, "We take all allegations of discrimination seriously and we are gathering all of the facts before jumping to any conclusion."

 

According to a report in The Guardian, Saleh has created videos in the past that involved staged scenes on airplanes and with actors playing authority figures.

 

Saleh, a prankster, has millions of followers subscribed to his YouTube channels.