What did United Airlines say? – Deseret News

NFL Hall of Fame member and former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis announced Monday that he experienced what he described as a “humiliating, disturbing and traumatizing incident” during a recent trip with his family.

“During drink service, my son politely asked for a cup of ice. The flight attendant either did not hear his request or ignored it and continued walking past our row. I calmly reached behind me and lightly tapped his arm to get his attention. … His reaction and the events that followed should stun us all,” Davis wrote in a lengthy Instagram post.

According to the New York Times, Davis and his family were traveling on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Orange County.

What happened to Terrell Davis?

In his Instagram post, Davis said the flight attendant apparently misinterpreted the knock.

“He yelled ‘Don’t hit me’ and left the car, hurrying toward the front of the plane,” Davis wrote. “I was confused, as were the passengers in front of me who had witnessed the exchange.”

He added that although he did not see the flight attendant again for the rest of the flight, he “didn’t think anything of it other than that this particular employee was incredibly rude and was completely false in his accusations that I had hit him.”

But when the plane landed, the former NFL star was met by FBI agents and other law enforcement officers.

In his Instagram post, Davis described the humiliation he felt as he was escorted off the plane while several passengers filmed him. “I was – and am – humiliated, ashamed, powerless and angry.”

He added that the agents later apologized for the situation.

“During questioning, agents correctly determined that this flight attendant’s allegations were inaccurate and apologized profusely,” Davis said on social media.

Spokespeople for the FBI and John Wayne Airport issued a statement to USA Today about the incident.

“FBI agents and law enforcement partners at John Wayne Airport in Orange County responded to a report of an incident onboard a flight that required further investigation. An individual was detained for questioning, cooperated with law enforcement and was released to continue their travel,” the statement said.

Davis said he felt compelled to speak out about his experiences and denounce United Airlines.

“At this moment, less than 48 hours later, we as a family must have difficult conversations with each other about what happened and answer the many questions my children have,” he wrote. “I refuse to stand by and denounce this disgusting injustice and deplorable treatment by United Airlines.”

Apology from United Airlines

According to the New York Times, United Airlines apologized to Davis in a statement.

“This is clearly not the type of travel experience we want to provide and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’ team to apologize,” the statement said.

According to the New York Times, United Airlines said the flight attendant involved in the incident has been relieved of duty while company management investigates the incident.

In an email to CNN, Parker Stinar, managing partner of the law firm representing Davis, said the incident was “horrifying and disturbing to say the least.”

“We plan to conduct a full investigation into the incidents and are in active communication with United Airlines regarding this matter,” Stinar wrote.

Who is Terrell Davis?

Terrell Davis was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, according to CNN, and is one of only eight running backs to “run for more than 2,000 yards in an NFL season.”

Davis helped the Broncos win two Super Bowl titles – one in 1998 and another in 1999, the article said.