Page 13 - IAV Digital Magazine #601

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
“I Am A Lesbian”: TikToker Banned For Life By American Airlines Over Alleged “Sex With Man” On Flight
A 24-year-old woman in the US recently shared
a bizarre travel ordeal, claiming that American Airlines perma- nently banned her from flying due to alleged inappro- priate behavior on a flight—despite her asserting the accusation is unfounded.
Erin Wright, known as @erin_wright_ on TikTok, posted a 4-minute and 47-
second video, which quickly went viral, amassing over 2.6 million views.
In the video, she recounted the moment she was barred from boarding her flight to New Orleans for her sister's bachelorette party, reported the New York Post.
"The gate agent looked nervous and said, 'Ma'am,
I'm really sorry to tell you this, but you've actually been banned from
flying American Airlines,'" Wright explained in the clip. Shocked by the news, Wright insisted she had done nothing wrong.
Despite her efforts to under- stand the situa- tion, the gate agent remained tight-lipped, citing internal security
issues. “I was confused, frus- trated, and over- whelmed, but I was determined tomakeittomy sister's celebra- tion,” Wright said. Left with no other option, she had to book another flight for $1,000, hoping to resolve the matter later.
Twelve days later, Wright received an email reveal- ing the reason for her ban—alleged sexual activities with a man in the airplane's bath- room. The accu- sation baffled Wright, who is openly lesbian. “I am a 24-year-old lesbian. You see me. Am I having sexual relations with any man? No,” she retorted.
Determined to clear her name, Wright sent an email to American Airlines, humor- ously yet serious- ly explaining her situation. With her mother’s support,
who also contact- ed the airline, Wright was even- tually removed from the no-fly list. However, the true identity of the alleged mile-high club members remains a mys- tery.
Although relieved to be able to fly again, Wright was left out of pocket, having spent $1,000 on an alternative flight. American Airlines did refund her ini- tial $400 ticket but offered no additional com- pensation.
Wright's story sparked a mix of shock and sym- pathy online. Commenters questioned the airline's process- es and suggested filing complaints or seeking legal action. One user noted, "How did they let you book if they banned you?" to which Wright responded that she was
equally puzzled.
Despite the tur- moil, Wright found a silver lin- ing. In a follow-up video posted on August 11, she revealed that the views from
her viral TikTok video helped her recover the money she lost. "I made pretty much the exact amount that I lost, so American Airlines doesn’t even have to make this right," she said.
As of her last update, Wright indicated that she had not received any further com- munication from American Airlines but hinted at potential future actions. “I’m just really grateful for all your help and for blowing that video up because ittookalotof stress off of me financially,” she thanked her fol- lowers.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine