On October 16, a Marine Corps veteran, Catherine Banks, experienced a shocking incident at San Francisco International Airport. She was asked to leave a Delta Air Lines flight due to her choice of clothing, sparking outrage and confusion.
Catherine had settled comfortably into her seat when a flight attendant approached her, calling out, “Ma’am, ma’am.” Looking around, she was surprised to realize he was addressing her. “I looked around, like, ‘Who was he talking to?’ And it was me,” Catherine explained. “He said, ‘You need to get off the plane,’ and I was like, ‘What did I do?’”
Feeling puzzled and somewhat nervous, Catherine followed his instruction and exited the plane. It wasn’t until she was standing on the jet bridge that the reason for her removal was revealed.
“He said that shirt you’re wearing is threatening,” Catherine recounted. She was wearing a shirt with a message that read: “Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide.” Stunned by the accusation, she defended herself passionately. “I said, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m a Marine Corps vet. I’m going to see my Marine sister.
I’ve been in the Marine Corps for 22 years and worked for the Air Force for 15 years. I’m going to visit her.’” However, the flight attendant seemed unmoved. According to Catherine, he replied bluntly, “I don’t care about your service, and I don’t care about her service. The only way you’re going to get back on the plane is if you take it off right now.”
Faced with no other choice, Catherine had to change her shirt on the jet bridge, turning her back to maintain some modesty as she wasn’t wearing a bra. She described the experience as deeply humiliating.
“I feel like they just took my soul away. I’m not a bad person, and that T-shirt, I should be allowed to support myself and veterans,” she said, expressing how the shirt was her way of raising awareness for veteran mental health and suicide prevention.
Once she complied, Catherine was allowed to return to the plane, but her ordeal wasn’t over. She was directed to a seat in the back of the plane, even though she had purchased a seat with extra legroom. This change delayed the flight, causing her to miss her connecting flight and adding to her frustration.
In response to the incident, Delta Air Lines reached out to Catherine to address the situation. A spokesperson for Delta stated, “the matter with the customer has been resolved.” The airline’s Contract of Carriage states that passengers can be removed from flights if their “conduct, attire, hygiene, or odor creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers.”
What are your thoughts on this story? It certainly raises questions about how policies are enforced and whether veterans like Catherine should face such treatment for supporting awareness about mental health. Share your opinion below!
