Between ticket prices, miserable TSA agents, and unruly passengers, we love to joke that air travel is homophobic. But for Erin Wright — who was forbidden from boarding an American Airlines flight in June — it actually was.
Though not in the way you’d expect.
In a recent TikTok, the 24-year-old queer content creator explained how she came to learn she was “banned” by the airline for life while trying to board a flight to New Orleans for her sister’s bachelorette party.
The video — fittingly titled, “How I got permanently banned from flying American Airlines for having sexual relations with a man on a plane even though I’m a lesbian” — has received over 2.7 million views.
Trust us, it’s just as crazy as it sounds!
Watch.
@erin_wright_ Thanks for being the worst @American Airlines #storytime #funnystory#funnyvideos #airlinetiktok #airplanestory #funny#fyp ♬ original sound – Erin Wright
It all started when Wright went to check into her flight via phone, and “it didn’t work,” then she received a similar error at an airport kiosk. Finally, she visited an American Airlines help desk, where the attendant also could not process the ticket and made a phone call.
Fast-forward 10 minutes, and Wright learned that she was “banned from flying American Airlines” due to “an issue of internal security.” The representative explained, “I can’t tell you [why], but the person on the phone told me that you should know why.”
WTF!
Ultimately, Wright missed her original flight and spent an additional $1000 on a roundtrip ticket through another airline. Still, it took days of back-and-forth emails with American before she received a wild explanation.
“Finally, [I got an email] telling me that I have been banned because I was having sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated,” Wright said.
Addressing the camera in a ballcap and comfy tee, she added, “I am a 24-year-old lesbian. Do you see me? Am I having sexual relations with any man? No.”
Wright was not presented any evidence or further explanation. Furthermore, the airline instructed her to send an “official appeal” explaining “exactly why [she] didn’t do it” before removing her from the no-fly list.
What were they expecting — a copy of her Gay Card or something?!
The New Mexico-based creator then sent a “serious” but “somewhat funny” email trying to plead her case.
“I’m like, ‘I don’t really 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,” she explained. LOL.
Still, it wasn’t until her mother contacted their legal department in August—two months later—that she received a response.
The airline admitted “that it most likely was not you,” and removed her from the no-fly list “until we either figure out whether it was actually you or someone else.”
What’s worse — she was only refunded for her initial $400 ticket, with no additional funds for inconvenience. This is why Pete Buttigieg goes so hard on those airlines!
@erin_wright_ Update!!! @American Airlines #storytime #airlinetiktok #airportlife #funnystory#funny ♬ original sound – Erin Wright
Still, there’s a happy ending!
As Wright explained in a follow-up, her original storytime clip went viral on TikTok, allowing her to recoup “the exact amount” she lost purchasing a new ticket. That being said, American Airlines had not “reached out” or “commented on the video to make things right on their end” at the time of posting.
Perhaps now is a good time to start traveling by Amtrak?
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