On Sunday, November 27th, around 09:30 ET, famous American Football star Odell Beckham Jr. was escorted by police off an American Airlines flight. After pushing back from the gate, passengers were instructed to put their seatbelts on after the fasten seatbelt sign was illuminated, but one passenger appeared to be unresponsive. After numerous attempts to wake the passenger, the cabin crew notified the police, and the airplane taxied back to the gate. Once the local police boarded the aircraft, Beckham was responsive and complied with their commands.The incident occurred at Florida's Miami International Airport (MIA) aboard a Boeing 787. The flight was bound for Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Originally scheduled to leave at 09:01 ET, American Airlines flight AA1288 departed two hours late following the incident. After finally departing, the widebody jet arrived safely at LAX. No injuries were reported in association with this incident.

Failure to comply

According to the flight attendants aboard the aircraft, Beckham was unresponsive despite numerous attempts to wake him. The cabin crew then called the police, fearing that the passenger was ill and needed medical attention. After returning to the gate, the Miami-Dade police department boarded the aircraft. Once the police arrived, flight attendants asked Beckham to leave the plane, which he refused. Following this, all passengers were deplaned, and the officers told Beckham to deplane. Beckham complied with this order.

In an official statement from the Miami-Dade police department, the following was reported concerning the deplaning,

"Upon the officers arrival, the flight crew asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused. The aircraft was deplaned, at which time Mr. Beckham was asked by the officers to exit the plane, and did so without incident."

American Airlines also released a brief statement concerning the incident. It stated,

"(The plane) returned to the gate before takeoff due to a customer failing to follow crew member instructions and refusing to fasten their seatbelt."

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Two sides to a story

The football star's attorney has spoken for him, claiming that the account given by the flight crew is misleading. His attorney, Daniel Davillier, stated that Beckham had fallen asleep with a blanket over his head after boarding the airplane. He was then awoken as the plane was returning to the gate. The cabin crew informed him that he would have to deplane because he failed to fasten his seatbelt when asked.

Davillier stated the following concerning his client's response to the flight attendant's statement,

"He responded that he was asleep, and that he would put his seatbelt on at that time. (Beckham was) informed that it was too late, and that either he would have to get off the plane or everyone would have to deplane. At no time was Mr Beckham disruptive or combative.

"He was willing to comply with the seatbelt requirement, but the flight attendant wanted to prove that he had the authority to have Mr. Beckham removed from the flight. This incident was completely unnecessary. Sleeping on a plane should not be a cause for removal from a flight."

No legal charges or lawsuits have been brought against any involved party. However, the two opposing stories may lead to further disputes.

What do you think of Odell Beckham Jr. being removed from this flight? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: NBC News