Catherine Banks, a Marine Corps veteran with 22 years of service, was removed from a Delta flight after a flight attendant deemed her t-shirt “threatening.” The shirt, which promoted veteran suicide prevention with the message “Do Not Give In To The War Within. End Veteran Suicide,” was called inappropriate by the airline employee.
The incident occurred at San Francisco International Airport as Banks was preparing to visit her Marine sister. According to Banks, a male flight attendant approached her and asked her to leave the plane without explaining why. Once off the plane, the flight attendant informed her that her shirt was the issue. Banks said she was shocked and tried to explain the meaning behind her shirt, which is sold by the Til Valhalla Project, a group that supports veterans’ mental health.
“I told him I’ve served in the Marine Corps for 22 years. I’m just supporting my fellow veterans,” Banks said. However, the flight attendant remained firm, telling her she had to change if she wanted to reboard the flight.
Adding to Banks’ embarrassment, she wasn’t wearing a bra beneath her shirt and had to change into a sweatshirt while standing on the jet bridge. After complying, she was allowed to reboard, but was denied her original seat with extra legroom and forced to sit in the back of the plane. The delay also caused her to miss a connecting flight.
Delta Airlines, which states it can remove passengers if their attire creates “an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance,” has not provided a public explanation of how Banks’ shirt violated this rule. The airline contacted Banks to address the issue, but no official resolution has been announced.
