An Australian man claims he was kicked off a Jetstar flight for taking a photo on the tarmac before a Sydney-Brisbane flight ahead of a cruise on Thursday.
Jimmy Mitchell was with his wife Pauline and their two children when he took out his phone to take a quick photo of his family on the plane stairs as they boarded the flight on Wednesday.
What he didn’t realize was that there had been an announcement explaining that passengers were not allowed to use their phones on the tarmac because the plane was refueling.
Mitchell, a seasoned traveler, said he was wearing noise-cancelling headphones at the time and was only made aware of the announcement later, adding that there was no signage or instructions additional information on the use of telephones.
He was eventually able to board the plane, but described the debacle as “one of the most traumatic experiences” he had ever had.
In a viral TikTok, he claimed that while he was taking the photo, a cabin crew member called him an “idiot.”
He said when she tried to get his attention to put the device away, it left him embarrassed and shocked.
“This is the worst flying experience I’ve ever had,” he said in the clip.
“I’m trying to get on the plane, I’m taking a picture of my kids as they’re getting on the plane, in airplane mode, and the lady calls me an idiot,” he said.
After confronting the staff member, Mitchell claims he was told he would not be allowed to board the flight.
“I turned around in disbelief because I was at that point halfway down the stairs. I basically ran up to her and said, “Are you serious? What did you just call me?’
“She was basically saying ‘you can’t take pictures on the tarmac, you can’t take pictures on the tarmac’.”
The pair reportedly traveled back and forth before the father-of-two, known for his travel content, was refused to board the plane.
“If she had literally said something else, like ‘put down your phone,’ I would have done it.”
“Apparently they made an announcement, but I had noise-cancelling headphones,” Pauline (wife) told me afterwards – I didn’t hear it, there was no notification about it, there was no There was no signage, nothing at all.
“All she had to do was say something constructive. “Put your phone down, you can’t take your phone out” and I would have said “sorry” but she’s screaming across the tarmac calling me an idiot.
The flight attendant allegedly told Mitchell, whose family had already boarded, that he would not board the flight and “threatened” that police would be waiting for him.
“I can see how she may have felt I was intimidating because I’m a big guy and I’m a loud guy. She turns to me and says ‘you almost attacked me, get off the tarmac, you’re not getting on this plane.’
Shocked by the situation, Mitchell returned inside the terminal where he awaited further instructions.
He was eventually allowed to board the flight “after regaining his composure” but wants the airline to apologize to him and his family for the “stressful” situation.
“The way they treated Pauline and the children and did not allow me to communicate with them what was happening was completely unacceptable,” he said.
A Jetstar spokesperson told news.com.au the incident was under investigation.
“All of our customers and team members have the right to feel respected when traveling with us or at work and we are investigating what happened in this case,” the spokesperson said.
Mitchell said his wife had his passport and boarding pass and staff did not allow him to collect the items when he was held inside the terminal.
After he was finally released from the flight, he said he was almost reduced to tears “because it was so embarrassing.”
“That’s one thing she was completely out of line calling me an idiot, I can get over the fact that I’m a big boy – and you’re probably sitting there going ‘he’s an idiot’ and ‘ he shouldn’t have reacted that way’ – but the next time someone you’re supposed to be a customer of calls you an idiot… you tell me next time how you would react in that situation.
He said he was even more disappointed with how the airline allegedly handled the situation.
The debacle sparked a huge debate on her TikTok and Instagram over who is in the wrong.
“Wow… that’s crazy!” I’m so sorry this happened to you! » one person wrote.
“Go further and don’t let them get away with what they did,” a second person said.
“I’ve been criticized for having my phone on the tarmac, but that’s certainly not the start of the flight… I often wonder what influencers and celebrities do and there’s never problem,” wrote another, while a fourth added: “It’s a restricted area… no phones on the tarmac.
Others said the staffer who allegedly called Mitchell an “idiot” was “unacceptable.”
Jetstar told news.com.au that phones are not allowed to be used on the tarmac “as this is an operational space and we remind customers of this via the door PAs”.
New York Post
