An elderly white man caused a disturbance with his behavior and racist remarks on an American Airlines flight. He directed racist comments at a flight attendant and behaved in an unruly manner in front of other passengers. Those nearby appeared shocked, and some passengers recorded the incident on their phones.
In the video, he can be heard making racist comments and acting out. He yelled, “I’m American. You’re the illegal.” The flight attendant replied, “I’ve lived here my whole life… whatever, you’re a racist.” She did not hesitate to call out his behavior.
MAGA grandpa kicked off plane—for threatening to call ICE on flight attendant.
“I’m American… you’re the illegal!” man yells.
“I’ve lived here my whole life… whatever, you’re a racist,” she retorts.
“I saw her and her uncles and aunts and cousins swim the Rio Grande,” he… pic.twitter.com/vRcqY4JTrs
— LongTime🤓FirstTime👨💻 (@LongTimeHistory) February 15, 2026
He yelled in front of other passengers, “I saw her and her uncles and aunts and cousins swim the Rio Grande.” He also accused the flight attendant of buying an illegal Social Security number. The flight attendant responded, “Sir, you need to take a seat until we get to the jet bridge—we are going to remove you.”
The video went viral, and many viewers were surprised by how calm the flight attendant remained, handling the situation as if it were routine. Several people praised her professionalism during the incident. The disturbance occurred at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas and left many surprised by the man’s willingness to shout racial remarks publicly.
At one point in the video, he is seen lying on the aircraft floor and making unclear statements. The flight attendant indicated he would be removed once the jet bridge was reconnected. However, the jet bridge malfunctioned. As a result, passengers and crew had to manage the situation for a longer period.
Airlines don’t care about your politics.
If you disrupt the flight, you’re getting removed.
— Mohammed | Wealth Systems (@mohammedadaba_) February 16, 2026
Meanwhile, the flight attendant tried to get him to sit in his seat, but he refused. The flight, which was scheduled to depart for Las Vegas, had to return to the gate to remove the disruptive passenger.
This led to a delay as passengers were forced to listen to the man’s rant. Such incidents involving disruptive passengers are relatively common. One former flight attendant commented on the video, “As a former FA that makes a LOT of sense Lol.”
The consequences of the man’s behavior could include a fine of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Federal regulations also allow for potential criminal charges against disruptive passengers.
