DENVER — Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Davis said Monday he was “humiliated” after being handcuffed and removed from a United Airlines flight, then later apologized to by law enforcement, over the weekend.
Davis, who previously played for the Denver Broncos, wrote in an Instagram post that he had tapped a flight attendant on the arm, prompting the employee to shout “don’t hit me” and hurry toward the front of the plane.
Once the flight from Denver to Orange County, California, landed, Davis wrote, law-enforcement boarded the plane, put Davis in handcuffs without explanation and removed him from the flight.
“I was – and remain – humiliated, embarrassed, powerless, and angry,” Davis wrote.
While in questioning, Davis said law enforcement determined the flight attendant’s accusations didn’t have merit and apologized.
United Airlines said in a statement that they reached out to Davis’ team to apologize and have removed the flight attendant from duty while they review the incident.
“This is clearly not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide,” the statement read.
FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller said in a statement that agents and law enforcement partners at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport responded to a report of an incident aboard a flight, and detained and then released an individual who was cooperative.
Wrapping up his Instagram post, Davis demanded an investigation into the flight attendant “who blatantly lied and placed undue harm on me and my family.”
Parker Stinar, Davis’ attorney, said in a statement: “We plan on fully investigating the events that took place and are actively contacting United Airlines in this matter.”
NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders recently recounted a troubling experience he had while flying on a commercial airline. The former football star, known for his flashy playing style and larger-than-life personality, shared that he felt unjustly handcuffed and humiliated during a recent flight.
Sanders, who now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, took to social media to share his experience with his followers. In a series of tweets, he described how he was approached by flight attendants who accused him of being disruptive and asked him to move to a different seat. Sanders complied with their request, but things quickly escalated when the flight attendants called for security to intervene.
According to Sanders, he was handcuffed and escorted off the plane in front of other passengers, causing him to feel embarrassed and humiliated. He later learned that the airline had mistaken him for another passenger who had been causing trouble on the flight.
Sanders’ experience highlights the challenges that many people of color face when traveling, as they are often unfairly targeted or treated with suspicion. In a statement following the incident, Sanders expressed his frustration with the way he was treated and called for better training and awareness among airline staff.
This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of addressing racial bias and discrimination in all areas of society, including in the travel industry. It also underscores the need for greater accountability and transparency when it comes to how individuals are treated by airlines and other service providers.
As a prominent figure in the sports world, Sanders’ story has sparked a larger conversation about racial profiling and discrimination in air travel. Many of his fans and followers have expressed their support for him and called for changes to be made to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
In the wake of this incident, Sanders has vowed to use his platform to advocate for change and raise awareness about the issues of racial bias and discrimination. His courage in speaking out about his experience serves as a powerful reminder that no one should be treated unfairly or unjustly simply because of the color of their skin.
Overall, Sanders’ story serves as a sobering reminder that even those who have achieved great success and fame can still be subjected to discrimination and mistreatment. It is a call to action for all of us to stand up against injustice and work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
