Reuters
- A passenger was kicked off of a Delta Airlines flight on Saturday because she did not want to wear a face mask, according to local reports.
- The passenger’s refusal caused the flight that was leaving from Detroit Metro Airport to Los Angeles to return to the gate causing a 30-minute delay, according to the Detroit Free Press.
- As of late August, Delta had banned at least 240 customers so far who have refused to wear a face covering and follow airline guidelines.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
A Delta Airlines flight had to return to its gate after a woman refused to wear a face mask, the Detroit Free Press reported.
The plane was about to take off from Detroit Metro Airport to Los Angeles on Saturday when the flight turned around because the woman refused to put a face covering on, causing a 30-minute delay, according to the outlet.
“The customer was removed from the plane and the flight departed without incident,” a Delta spokesperson told Deadline Detroit. “Delta requires masks on every flight for the safety of our customers and crew.”
Both outlets reported that the incident gained traction after Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan’s chief of staff, Alexis Wiley, tweeted that mother was on the plane. Wiley thanked Delta Airlines in the tweet posted Saturday night for enforcing the face mask policy.
—Alexis Wiley (@AlexisWileyNews) September 13, 2020
Delta did not immediately return Insider's request for comment. The woman who was removed from the flight has not been publicly identified.
According to Delta's policy, face coverings are required for travelers and employees in the airport and onboard during the entire flight, except during meals.
Business Insider reported in late August that the airline has banned at least 240 travelers who refused to comply with the strict face mask policies. In an August memo to employees, Delta CEO Ed Bastian said the airline was maintaining a "no-fly list" of customers who did not adhere to the company's coronavirus preventive measures.
"Although rare, we continue to put passengers who refuse to follow the required face-covering rules on our no-fly list," Bastian wrote in the memo. "I want to thank everyone for your continued vigilance of our policy requiring masks be worn by our people and our customers."