Kenyan Woman Removed from Ethiopian Airlines Flight Speaks Out
A Kenyan woman who was removed from an Ethiopian Airlines flight to allegedly make room for a minister has shared her distressing experience, sparking a wave of public outrage. In a viral video, she revealed that despite having confirmed reservations, she and her husband were offloaded and had to wait 24 hours without accommodation or an apology from the airline. She further claimed that their passports were confiscated and videos of the incident were deleted by airline staff.
The passenger described feeling “scared, terrified, and stripped naked” due to the treatment she received. Distressed by the lack of apology and communication from Ethiopian Airlines, she is considering legal action.
Ethiopian Airlines initially responded to the allegations by addressing the first viral video, clarifying that the removal was due to overbooking and not influenced by a VIP passenger. The airline stated that the couple bypassed security and ignored staff advice, leading to their removal. Ethiopian Airlines asserted that they followed standard protocol and rebooked the passengers on the next available flight.
CNN International Journalist Larry Madowo tracked down the passenger, Aisha, and shared her experience on social media, providing additional context to the incident. Madowo tweeted: “Receipts: Ethiopian Airlines called me a liar, so I tracked down the passenger in my viral video who was offloaded for a minister. ET called police on Aisha and her husband, forced them to delete their videos & left them stranded in Addis for 24hrs. They’ve received no apology.”
Aisha’s testimony starkly contrasts with the airline’s explanation. While she claims that their removal was to accommodate a minister and involved significant mistreatment, Ethiopian Airlines maintains that it was a standard overbooking issue. The airline’s statement did not address the specific allegations of confiscating passports or deleting videos, which has fueled public concern about the transparency and handling of the situation.
The incident has ignited widespread criticism on social media, with many condemning the airline’s treatment of the passengers. Despite the growing outrage, Ethiopian Airlines has yet to issue a detailed public statement addressing the specific allegations made by Aisha.
I had a chance encounter to see the vicious video of the lady. Here is my view. The passenger, initially on the waiting list, boarded the plane without proper authorization. She falsely claimed that she relinquished her economy class seat for a late-arriving minister. However, her account contained several inaccuracies: firstly, Ethiopian staff do not provide such instructions; secondly, an Ethiopian minister, as a VIP traveler, would not occupy an economy class seat; and thirdly, her claim of being stranded for 24 hours contradicts the frequent flights to Nairobi. These are clear evidences that contradict the passenger’s claims. The fabricated allegations are a deliberate attempt to damage Ethiopian Airline’s reputation.