Couple thrown off American Airlines flight over body odor asked strangers at airport to smell them
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: Local10
After being kicked off a flight over their alleged 'body odor', a couple tried to prove their point by walking around the airport terminal building asking people to smell them.
There are many reasons why someone might be removed from an aircraft - there could be a medical emergency or a panic attack prior to departure.
Or it could just be bad behaviour, such as treating staff and other passengers poorly, or trying to join the mile high club in the plane toilet.
But for one family who were travelling from Miami International Airport, there was a whole other reason entirely.
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Passengers claimed that the family had body odor so bad, that they were asked to leave the aircraft.
In January 2019, Yehuda Yosef Adler, Jennie Adler, and their 19-month-old daughter were asked to get off the plane, with staff allegedly claiming there was an 'emergency'.
However, the family claimed that they were then not allowed back on due to their body odour.
Mr Adler told WPLG Local 10 News: "All of a sudden, as soon as they took us off, they closed the gate and then they said, 'Sorry sir, some people complained you had body odour and we're not letting you back on'."
The couple claimed they even stopped random people in the airport to confirm whether or not they smelled, and others confirmed they did not.
The Adlers, who are Orthodox Jews, also said that although American Airlines said their luggage would be returned to them, this did not happen and they were left with the clothes on their back, as well as not having the things needed to care for their daughter.
They were given a hotel room and meal vouchers that night before booking another flight the following day.
The family, who insisted they had bathed earlier that day before their flight in the morning, subsequently sued American Airlines the following year in 2020.
In the lawsuit, lawyer Nwadi Nwogu wrote: "Once outside, defendant's agent told Mr Adler that the pilot was booting the family off the plane because of body odor.
"Mr Adler asked the agent if the body odor was emanating from him, his wife or child and the agent would not respond to the question but continued to state that the Adlers must leave the plane at the instruction of the pilot and because they had extremely offensive body odor."
After the lawsuit was filed, American Airlines issued a statement saying: "Our team members took care of the family and provided hotel accommodations and meals, and rebooked them on a flight to Detroit the next morning.
"None of the decisions made by our team in handling this sensitive situation were based on the Adler’s (sic) religion."