MIAMI — A Las Vegas couple was removed from a plane and arrested at Miami International Airport after other passengers complained about the man's bleeding head following a hair transplant surgery, the couple said.
The 27-year-old man and 32-year-old woman had already boarded an American Airlines flight to Las Vegas on Tuesday when flight staff noticed the man's bleeding head, according to a Miami-Dade police report.
A flight attendant told the man he would need to clean up the blood and change his bandage, but he said he didn't have any clean bandages, officials said. Flight staff then told the man he would need to leave the plane out of concern for his medical condition and possible bodily fluid contamination.
The man and woman refused to leave, officials said. Police were called to the plane, and the couple again refused to leave. Police said officers removed the couple from the plane and charged them with trespassing and resisting arrest.
The woman livestreamed the encounter on TikTok, and the couple spoke with NBC 6 South Florida after being released from jail Tuesday night. They said they had traveled to Miami to undergo several cosmetic surgeries and showed reporters a note from their doctor clearing them to travel.
The couple's attorney, Michael Inglesia, said the couple was discriminated against because of how they looked following a medical procedure, despite having clearance from a doctor.
American Airlines released a statement saying two customers became disruptive and non-compliant on Tuesday's flight and thanking crewmembers for their professionalism.
