If you didn’t hear, 2 days ago TMZ reported a story that Brandon T. Jackson was escorted off an airplane and questioned by police after supposedly “flipping out” on a flight attendant who called him the n-word. According to Jackson, he was on a US Airways flight when a flight attendant named Dee approached him and asked him to sit down.
Several reports state that the two argued — and Jackson claims the flight attendant said, “I don”t care if you’re Obama’s son — get in your seat!!” Jackson says the flight attendant also called him the n-word.
Jackson was then escorted off the plane — and questioned by police in Phoenix and released.
Since this report by TMZ, the passengers who were sitting around Jackson have all claimed what Jackson has stated is the truth, and it backs up his story. The airline has yet to release a statement, but Jackson however did release a statement to us;
Brandon was flying to LA on Monday for an audition and was rehearsing lines with the passenger next to him, Elisabeth Schwarz, who he just met. They weren’t served any food or beverages and were told that the passengers in the exit row were being too loud, even though no passengers had any issues with him. When Brandon went to the back of the plane to ask for a couple of sandwiches and explain that it wasn’t his row causing a disturbance and that he was an actor practicing his lines, the flight attendant told him to sit down and “I don’t care if you’re Obama’s son,” then used a derogatory word – seemingly in jest. Regardless of how it was intended, it obviously upset Brandon, so he said he was going to report it to the airline. After that, the attendant made the pilot aware, handed him paperwork and called in to the connecting airport (Phoenix) that Brandon was being disruptive. The flight attendant made it seem to Brandon that they were going to land prematurely because of him, which alarmed him (and the reason he took to Twitter immediately). He was questioned by authorities when they landed in Phoenix. After confirming that he wasn’t intoxicated nor disturbing any passengers (in fact 13 passengers stayed to confirm Brandon’s story and almost missed their flights), Brandon was put on the first flight to Burbank the next morning since he missed his connecting flight.
“He wasn’t being rowdy at all, and definitely not intoxicated,” Elisabeth said. “There was another exit row in front of us that was standing, drinking and making noise. We were all in shock when the attendant insinuated other passengers were complaining. The other flight attendant even told us we weren’t doing anything wrong.”
Brandon said “I realize this was just one flight attendant acting inappropriately and I appreciate the support of the other passengers, US Airways staff at the Phoenix airport, and the Phoenix airport police.”
