Jason Derulo lashed out at American Airlines after an incident at Miami International Airport on Wednesday, February 8, claiming that he and his staff were subjected to "racial discrimination."
The singer, 27, took to Instagram on Wednesday to claim that he was mistreated by airline employees after a dispute about baggage fees.
"I spent millions on your airline throughout the past ten years between myself and my entire staff but have still experienced racial discrimination today at miami airport!!!" Derulo wrote in an Instagram message to American Airlines. "Called 15 police officers on me as if I'm a criminal! It's not ok that when you find out who I am the gears change! F–k that!! I want answers."
TMZ reports that the "Wiggle" singer and his entourage of eight arrived late for a flight to L.A. on Wednesday afternoon and tried to check 19 bags.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQRPlOEj79s/
In a video posted on the website, Derulo said that he is a Concierge Key member of American Airlines, which allows him to bring unlimited bags onto the plane. The airline later told Local 10 News that most elite customers receive three checked bags for free. A police report obtained by the ABC affiliate states that an American Airlines employee approached an officer after the group arrived at 4:15 p.m. for a 5 p.m. flight and said that they "all smelled of marijuana and were starting to get aggressive." The employee then declined assistance from the officer.
A member of Derulo's group stayed behind to bring the bags onto a later flight, while the rest of the travelers got onto the plane, but Local 10 News reports that after the plane left the gate for the runway, the person who'd stayed behind called Derulo to tell him that an airline representative said he was going to be charged $4,000.
Derulo, who claimed the amount was $6,000, then stood up on the plane and demanded that they go back to the gate, and got into a heated altercation with the pilot, according to the TMZ video.
The incident report obtained by Local 10 News states that police were called to the gate because "the captain of the plane needed several passengers removed from the plane."
"I get off the plane, 15 police officers waiting on me, like I'm a criminal," Derulo said in the video.
The "Talk Dirty" singer then said that the officers' demeanor changed when they learned he was a celebrity.
"If I was not who I was, if I wasn't Jason Derulo, I wouldn't be here right now I'd be in f–king cuffs," he said in the video. "It's 100 percent racial because the initial thought in people's minds is 'these hoodlums are causing problems.'"
American Airlines tweeted at Derulo to get in contact with the company to resolve the issue and later released a statement about the incident.
"Flight 275 returned to the gate prior to departure," the airline stated, according to Local 10 News. "A passenger elected to deplane in order to travel with their checked bags. The passenger has been rebooked with his checked bags on a later flight this evening."
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Derulo was previously kicked off a flight in August 2015 when his bodyguard allegedly got into an argument with TSA agents.
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