Passenger removed from Delta flight for wearing 'Hawk Tuah' Donald Trump t-shirt

A passenger was reportedly removed from a Delta Airlines flight for wearing a t-shirt depicting former president Donald Trump making an obscene gesture, accompanied by a reference to the viral Hawk Tuah girl.

Incident at Sarasota Bradenton airport

The incident unfolded on Saturday, August 31, at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport. A video shared on Reddit captured the moment the passenger was escorted off the aircraft. As he made his way down the aisle with his belongings, he could be heard stating, “I’m getting kicked off because of my shirt.” He also abuses a flight attendant.

A Reddit user, SKBeachGirl, reported that the man was waiting to board his flight when he was approached by an airline staff member who informed him that a complaint had been made about his t-shirt. The passenger was given an ultimatum: change the shirt or be denied boarding.

Initially, the man complied, turning the shirt inside out, and was allowed to board the plane. However, just before takeoff, a Delta employee reportedly re-entered the cabin and asked the man to leave after noticing he had flipped the shirt back to display the graphic.

Delta's policy on passenger conduct

Delta Airlines' Contract of Carriage gives the airline the authority to remove passengers for reasons including ensuring passenger comfort and safety. The policy specifies that passengers may be removed if their "conduct, attire, hygiene, or odour creates an unreasonable risk of offence or annoyance to other passengers," among other criteria.

(With inputs from agencies)