Big easy? More like big headache.
A lesbian American Airlines customer was ready to hop on a flight to her sister’s bachelorette party in New Orleans in June when she was stopped at the gate and barred from flying without any explanation — at least at first.
In multiple TikTok videos, 24-year-old Erin Wright said she was forced to fork over an extra $1,000 to rebook her flight to New Orleans, which required her to wait for eight extra hours in a New Mexico airport before she was able to jet off to her final destination. In the meantime, she tried reaching American Airlines’ customer relations department to get an explanation and a refund after she spent a total of $1,400 on one domestic trip.
Following the bachelorette party weekend, Wright said she finally heard back from customer relations — only to be told they could not tell her what happened and that they needed to consult with corporate security to find out why she was banned. At long last, she received an answer nearly two weeks later.
“I then finally get an email from corporate security saying I have been banned because I was having sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated,” Wright said. “Well, let me tell you, I am a 24-year-old lesbian. Do you see me? Am I having sexual relations with any man? No.”
It didn’t end there. Wright responded to corporate security to deny the allegations and to ask yet again if she could get a refund. She said she was then told she needed to submit a formal appeal via email to explain exactly why she did not do what she was accused of doing.
“So I email them a very serious email, but also somewhat funny,” she said, “because in it, I’m like, ‘I don’t know how to prove that it wasn’t me except for the fact that I’m literally a lesbian and I can get you letters from other people telling you that’s the truth.’”
@erin_wright_ Thanks for being the worst @American Airlines #storytime #funnystory #funnyvideos #airlinetiktok #airplanestory #funny #fyp ♬ original sound – Erin Wright
Months later, the case remained unresolved: Wright said her mother had to send an email to American Airlines’ law department to vouch for her. Two days after that, Wright again heard from American Airlines.
“I finally hear back from corporate security — I get a call from someone, some guy — being like, ‘Hey, we’ve reviewed your case [and we’ve determined] it’s most likely not you so we’re going to take you off the no-fly list until further notice until we figure out whether it was actually you or someone else,” Wright explained.
Wright said she was then told that she would not be notified if American Airlines determined it was not her who was responsible for the alleged sexual incident because it would be “confidential” at that point.
The airline only refunded Wright the $400 for the initial flight, but not the follow-up flight she was forced to book when she was blocked from boarding the American flight.
Wright posted an update on TikTok on Aug. 11 to say she was able to raise just over $1,000 via donations from the public to help cover the costs of the flight since American Airlines never provided a full refund.
She said she is considering reaching out to the Department of Transportation to file a complaint or pursue alternative action in small claims court.
“I’m just really grateful for all your help and for blowing that video up because it took a lot of stress off of me financially,” Wright said. “I’m truly grateful to the community…”
Gay City News has reached out to American Airlines for comment.
