Another airline is facing backlash over its treatment of a passenger. Terrell Davis, a former Denver Broncos NFL player and the MVP of Super Bowl XXXII, was detained by the FBI in front of his family after requesting a cup of ice from a United Airlines flight attendant during a flight from Denver to Orange County, California.
Davis shared his experience in an Instagram post, explaining that after asking for the ice for his son, he tapped the flight attendant on the arm to get his attention, believing he had not been heard. The flight attendant reportedly responded by saying, “don’t hit me” before heading to the back of the plane. Upon landing, FBI agents and local police arrested and handcuffed Davis, leading him off the plane. The FBI’s Los Angeles office confirmed to CBS News that Davis had been briefly detained before being released.
Davis did not specify if he believed the incident was racially motivated but mentioned having “hard conversations” with his family about the event.
“I refuse to stand by without speaking out on this disgusting display of injustice and deplorable treatment by United Airlines,” Davis stated on Instagram.
This incident recalls a similar situation where a group of Black American Airlines passengers was removed from a flight under accusations of “offensive body odor.” They sued American Airlines, and the CEO later apologized. Davis indicated that his legal team is in contact with United Airlines regarding the incident.
United Airlines responded to Quartz, stating, “this is clearly not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide, and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’s team to apologize.” They also noted that the flight attendant involved has been removed from duty pending a review of the matter.