YouTuber kicked off American Airlines flight after hiding in friend’s business class footwell

Friends thought stunt would ‘drive viewers to their YouTube channel’

American Airlines (Getty Images)

Two women were kicked off an American Airlines flight after one of them attempted to hide in the footwell of her friend’s business class seat.

The plan was for the friend to remain there for the entire journey, as the pair allegedly thought the stunt would “drive viewers to their YouTube channel”.

A fellow passenger on flight 772 from Dallas Fort Worth to Miami on 30 October wrote about the incident on the Flyertalk forum.

“I saw the friend crawl under the J seat (more exactly the television console) but began to watch a movie,” said user MiamiAirport Formerly NY George.  

“Well apparently the plan was for this woman's friend to remain there the entire flight as it's something they thought would drive viewers to their YouTube Channel.”

The woman was reportedly discovered before take-off after a flight attendant noticed one seat was empty, despite the fact the plane manifest was full.

An announcement was made requesting that the missing passenger identify herself, with travellers informed that the aircraft couldn’t take off until she was located.

According to user MiamiAirport Formerly NY George, the woman tried to “sneak back” to her seat, but was “busted” by the flight attendants.

The plane returned to the gate due to “security issues”, and the business class passenger allegedly began “screaming that she's being disrespected, did nothing wrong, she paid good money for her ticket and that she has a child at home waiting for her. By then she's also taken off her mask.”

A flight attendant and the aircraft Captain both told the woman she would need to deplane, but she allegedly refused, while still shouting and failing to wear a mask.

She and her friend were eventually removed from the aircraft by police.

“Before departing on 30 October, American Airlines flight 2205 from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Miami International Airport (MIA) returned to the gate at DFW for an issue involving two passengers,” an airline spokesperson told The Independent. 

“The two passengers, travelling together, would not comply with seat assignments during taxi out. Law enforcement met the aircraft at the gate, the two passengers exited the aircraft and the flight departed shortly after.”

The flight had already been delayed by 90 minutes after a catering truck hit a cargo door, according to the passenger who shared the incident online. After the removal of the passengers, the service departed three hours behind schedule.