Armed police were called to escort a family off a plane following an incident where they claim they were asked to give up a business class seat for an airline staff member. Ivan Lopes, along with his wife and two daughters, aged 25 and 11, encountered the issue while traveling from Milan, Italy, to Salvador, Brazil, on an Air France flight.
The trouble started at the gate in Paris when the family, who had paid to upgrade to business class, were informed that they couldn’t honor the upgrade for one of the daughters due to a supposed technical problem with seat 7L. However, upon boarding, they found seat 7L occupied by another passenger, leading to confusion as the actual problematic seat was 5L, not 7L. The situation escalated in front of other passengers, causing embarrassment and tension.
The family claimed the captain’s explanation was aggressive and some of the confrontation was recorded on video, despite objections from cabin crew members who prohibited filming. Ultimately, the French police intervened and escorted the family off the plane, informing them that they would need to purchase new tickets if they wanted to travel the next day.
After seeking legal advice, the family bought new business class tickets with another airline, estimating their financial loss at around €16,000 (£14,000) due to the original tickets, upgrade costs, replacement flights, and additional expenses. They plan to take legal action against the airline, alleging disproportionate response and distress caused, especially to the 11-year-old.
While Air France acknowledged the family’s removal from the flight, they strongly disputed the family’s version of events. The airline claimed that the family’s behavior was disruptive and caused delays and safety concerns. According to Air France, a business class seat was malfunctioning, and they offered the family seats in premium economy, in line with their original tickets, but the family insisted on retaining three business class seats.
The airline asserted that the captain’s decision to remove the family was based on safety regulations to ensure a smooth flight operation. They emphasized that passenger and crew safety is their primary concern.