YouTube sensation kicked off Delta flight for 'speaking Arabic'

Delta says removed Adam Saleh and another passenger for 'provocative behaviour'

Delta Air Lines Inc removed YouTube sensation Adam Saleh and his friend from a plane at London's Heathrow Airport before takeoff on Wednesday.



Saleh accused the airline of acting on passenger complaints that he had been speaking on a phone in Arabic.

Saleh, a Muslim American and YouTube personality, has posted what he calls "experiment" videos in the past showing him speaking Arabic on planes.



On Wednesday, Saleh posted a video to his verified Twitter account, followed by 315,000 users, showing himself and a second passenger being escorted off of the flight.

"We're getting kicked out because we spoke a different language... Six white people against us bearded men," he said from the plane's cabin.

We got kicked out of a @Delta airplane because I spoke Arabic to my mom on the phone and with my friend slim... WTFFFFFFFF please spread pic.twitter.com/P5dQCE0qos

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016

Several passengers can be seen heckling him and waving goodbye as he leaves the aircraft. It was not immediately clear what took place before the recording began.

We are still stuck at the airport and Delta has not given us any info. They keep telling us to wait. Please spread the word #BoycottDelta

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016

UPDATE: We're being security checked AGAIN right now.

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016

UPDATE: were now on another flight with a different airline heading to NYC after being checked for 30 minutes. We land 5:50pm in NYC

— Adam Saleh (@omgAdamSaleh) December 21, 2016

[brid video="86440" player="7247" title="YouTube sensation kicked off Delta flight for 'speaking Arabic'"]



In a statement after Delta Flight 1 landed in New York, Delta said the man, Adam Saleh, and the other passenger were removed because they "sought to disrupt the cabin with provocative behavior, including shouting." The airline said its information was based on statements collected from the flight crew and other passengers.

"What is paramount to Delta is the safety and comfort of our passengers and employees. It is clear these individuals sought to violate that priority," the Delta statement said.

Airlines have in recent months battled negative publicity over incidents in which Muslim passengers were removed from flights.

In November, a supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump was allowed to stay on a domestic US flight after going on an expletive-filled rant. He was later banned for life from Delta flights.

https://twitter.com/welcometojaapan/status/811541208761769984

https://twitter.com/caringsaleh/status/811538035057770498

https://twitter.com/KhaledBeydoun/status/811695603726094336

this isn't the first time, Delta is trash. #boycottdelta pic.twitter.com/kWLC1vW97O

— ahmadd (@neverreaIlyover) December 21, 2016

https://twitter.com/jordansdiamonds/status/811621091110174720

https://twitter.com/HIMANSHU/status/811592339403788288

Arabic is one of the six most-spoken languages in the world. Violating a basic human right isn't justified. Speak up. #BoycottDelta

— Snober Bibi (@snobers) December 21, 2016