Woman kicked off plane for taking a photo

Sandy DeWitt

Protecting airplane passengers from the terroristic hazards of onboard photography:

Miami photographer Sandy DeWitt was reportedly escorted off a US Airways flight from Philadelphia International Airport on Friday after she used her iPhone to snap a photo of an employee's name tag, according to the photography website Pixiq.

DeWitt said she took the photo after observing the employee, Tonialla G., being rude to passengers in the boarding area. DeWitt wanted to complain about the employee's behavior to US Airways, but the photo was too dark to use.

When DeWitt was seated on the plane with her iPhone powered down, Tonialla G. entered the cabin and asked her to delete the photo.

DeWitt was reluctant to comply, but turned the phone back on and deleted the photo.

Unfortunately for DeWitt, that wasn't the end of the confrontation. The employee reportedly went to the cockpit and told the pilot that DeWitt was a "security risk."

DeWitt said two flight attendants then escorted her off the plane.

Of course, US Airways now claim she was kicked off because she was being “disruptive” and “using foul and explicit language”. Two points, here: Just how “foul” and “explicit” was she (supposedly) being aboard the plane? And secondly, how does (alleged) bad language make for a “security risk”? Do airplanes regularly crash as retribution for the random cussing of passengers? Or are F-bombs really taken that literally?

These days, who knows.

(via The Agitator)

Tags: Sandy DeWitt • Tonialla G • US Airways