YouTube Star Allegedly Gets Kicked Off Flight For Speaking Arabic

Popular YouTube vlogger Adam Saleh has documented him and a friend being kicked off a Delta airplane, allegedly for speaking Arabic.

Saleh used Twitter and Periscope to stream the incident to viewers all across the world. Since the video has surfaced, an online hashtag #BoycottDelta has erupted.

In the viral video clip, Saleh says he was speaking Arabic with fellow YouTuber Slim Albaher and his mother over the phone while waiting for the Delta flight to depart. Saleh claims passengers then made a complain to staff on board, saying they felt uncomfortable.

Flight attendants can be seen escorting the two off the aircraft. One passenger is seen defending the vloggers, others look away from the camera, and another shouts “bye”.

Delta released an official statement saying the company will conduct a full investigation into the incident. “Two customers were removed from this flight and later rebooked after a disturbance in the cabin resulted in more than 20 customers expressing their discomfort,” it read.

“We are taking allegations of discrimination very seriously; our culture requires treating others with respect.”

To make matters a little more complicated, Saleh is well-known for being an internet prankster. The YouTuber has more than two million followers on his channel, where he has previously posted staged videos.

Don't let this guy fool you. He's twisting the truth for attention. Maybe he forget his other "pranks" on planes @omgAdamSaleh @Delta pic.twitter.com/F38Qk7Z9EK

— David Lee Orr (@DavidLeeOrr) December 21, 2016

Incidents like this haven't been all that uncommon in recent times.

Last year, two Palestinian men were temporarily blocked from boarding a Southwest Airlines flight after a fellow passenger was alarmed by their speaking Arabic. Then earlier this year, a Somali woman wearing a headscarf was asked to leave her flight after the woman next to her claimed she felt uncomfortable.

Photo: Twitter (@omgAdamSaleh)