Pepa Of Salt-N-Pepa Kicked Off Southwest Flight After Airline Reportedly Deems Her Safety Risk
Flying is a hassle under the best circumstances. The rules regarding when you board and where you sit are constantly changing. Hip-hop legend Sandra “Pepa” Denton recently dealt with all these issues when she was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight.
The ‘90s rapper was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight on July 15 when the crew decided she was a “safety risk” to her fellow passengers, as Denton told TMZ Hip Hop.
The rap icon was taking a direct flight from Las Vegas to Nashville for a meeting, having paid for two seats because of a knee injury she sustained in a 2018 car crash. However, a flight attendant told her she couldn’t use both seats once she was on the plane because she wasn’t in a cast despite having a knee brace and using a wheelchair greeter.
After having a conversation, the flight attendant relented and said Denton could use both seats–until a man arrived and asked her for one of the seats, claiming he was on his way to a funeral. A discussion ensued, with other passengers joining in, and Denton explained that when she asked the man to swear that he was really headed to a funeral, he refused yet ended up with the seat anyway.
Denton called her assistant, who suggested she record the incident, but she was removed from the plane soon after. Southwest says it was because she was recording, but according to Denton, she never actually recorded anything. The airline also claims that Denton didn’t respond to the instructions of crew members and that they didn’t allow her to board for the “safety and comfort” of the other passengers. Denton states that they tried to move her to the emergency bulkhead aisle, but she declined as her boarding passes were marked “disabled,” and she wouldn’t have been able to assist in an emergency.
According to the outlet, Southwest reimbursed Denton $2500 for the cost of the two tickets, though the rapper still paid $300 for the services of a wheelchair greeter and $500 for a car service that she couldn’t use. She says she’ll be exploring her legal options.
Denton posted a video talking to Southwest Airlines employees on Instagram, where fans showed their support.
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