Delta became the latest airline to come under scrutiny on Wednesday, April 26, when a video of a passenger removal, over what they say was a refusal to follow instructions, made the nationwide news. The passenger's violation? Selecting to use the plane's restroom during a departure delay.

An entire Milwaukee bound flight was forced to deplane after a dispute between Kima Hamilton and Delta officials, which held up departure for more than an hour on April 18. The plane had already been stalled on the Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport tarmac for at least half-an-hour, before the discrepancy; which began when Hamilton disregarded policy that forbids passengers from getting up to go to the restroom prior to takeoff.

"I'm not really clear on why I'm being asked to leave this plane. I purchased this ticket; I had an emergency. I had to pee," Hamilton is heard telling one of two Delta employees, during a recording of him being confronted and asked to leave. Hamilton had reportedly been told that he could not go to the restroom, but in seeing how long the plane was taking to head out, gauged that he couldn't hold it much longer.

When it became apparent that Hamilton would not comply with orders to exit, the entire plane was told to get off. Hamilton would finally agree to forgo the flight and was partially refunded for his ticket, but not before he was pulled aside by an FBI agent who had come to arrest him. He says that after explaining the ordeal, the agent decided against taking him into custody.

The video of the ordeal, which is being reported on by media outlets, was taken by an attorney named Krista Rosolino, who works for a Milwaukee firm [Warshafsky, Rotter, Tranoff & Bloch]. "As a person, and now a mother, and someone who tries to fight for people's rights on a regular basis, it just felt really wrong what had happened to him," Rosolino says, in regards to her decision to take her phone out and record.

Delta has since released a statement on the incident, that reads: "Our flight crews are extensively trained to ensure the safety and security of all customers. It is imperative that passengers comply with crew instructions during all phases of flight, especially at the critical points of takeoff and landing."

Source: youtube.com