A Florida man was not only booted off a United Airlines flight for wearing women’s underwear as a COVID-19 face mask, but he was also reportedly banned from the airline for failing to comply with the federal mask mandate.
Adam Jenne was a passenger aboard a plane flying between Ft. Lauderdale and Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. However, the flight crew notified Jenne that his “face mask,” which was actually red panties, was not compliant with the federal mask mandate that is in currently place until March.
Jenne argued that his underwear face mask was in compliance with the mask mandate since it covered his nose and mouth.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
All passengers on public conveyances (e.g., airplanes, ships*, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, ride-shares) traveling into, within, or out of the United States (including U.S. territories) as well as conveyance operators (e.g., crew, drivers, conductors, and other workers involved in the operation of conveyances), regardless of their vaccination status, are required to wear a mask over their nose and mouth. Unless otherwise required by the operator, or federal, State, tribal, territorial, or local government, people are not required to wear a mask when located in outdoor areas of a conveyance (if such outdoor areas exist on the conveyance).
“People must wear masks that completely cover the mouth and nose,” the CDC states. “Masks should fit snugly against the sides of the face.”
Jenne was removed from the flight and greeted by the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. He said he was at the gate in the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport for “about 45 minutes.”
Jenne says that other passengers followed suit by peacefully protesting the mask mandate and taking off their face coverings. Video appears to show other passengers taking off their masks and heading to the exit of the plane.
“I think it’s a testament to passengers having had enough, citizens having had enough,” Jenne told WBBH-TV. “This is just nonsense.”
United Airlines released a statement on the incident that said, “The customer clearly wasn’t in compliance with the federal mask mandate and we appreciate that our team addressed the issue on the ground prior to takeoff, avoiding any potential disruptions [in] the air.”
Jenne told WFTX-TV that he received an email from United informing him that he is banned from using the airline until his case has been reviewed by the Passenger Incident Review Committee.
Jenne said he had worn the thong face mask on previous fights during the pandemic.
“Every single flight has been met with different reactions from the flight crew,” Jenne said. “Some with a wild appreciation, others confrontational.”
Jenne railed against the mask mandates, “It’s nonsense, it’s all nonsense. COVID doesn’t know that we’re cruising at altitude. It’s stupid, the whole thing is theater.”
Jenne was refunded for his flight and was going to try a different airline on Thursday.
“Hopefully, Spirit Airlines has a better sense of humor tomorrow,” he said.
Coincidentally, in the same week that Jenne was kicked off a flight for a protest against the mask mandates, CEOs of two major airlines also questioned the necessity of masks on flights.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker and Southwest CEO Gary Kelly both said that they don’t believe masks significantly prevent the transmission of COVID-19 on flights because most planes have HEPA filters
Cape Coral man banned from United Airlines flight for wearing thong as mask
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