by Donald Wood
Last updated: 4:00 PM ET, Thu April 27, 2017
A man on a Delta Air Lines plane was kicked off the flight preparing to depart from Atlanta when he had to use the bathroom despite the crew telling him to remain seated.
According to CBSNews.com, Kima Hamilton was on his way home to Milwaukee when he had to make an emergency run to the bathroom as the Delta flight sat on the tarmac in Atlanta.
He first asked crew members if he could use the bathroom while they waited, but was told no.
After 30 minutes of waiting, Hamilton said it was an emergency and used the bathroom. When he returned to his seat, a Delta employee informed him that he would have to get off the plane for not following the flight crew's instructions.
Another passenger on the plane, an attorney named Krista Rosolino, witnessed the incident while her husband filmed part of the interaction between Hamilton and crew members. Rosolino said Hamilton waited patiently but eventually had to visit the bathroom and only spent around a minute inside before returning to his seat.
Video of the incident was shared on Twitter:
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Hamilton asked for clarification on why he was being asked to leave the plane, and eventually, everyone was told to get off the flight. Within two hours, all of the passengers had boarded once again, except for Hamilton, who had to purchase a same-day ticket to Milwaukee. He was refunded part of his ticket.
Delta Air Lines responded to backlash surrounding the situation.
"Our flight crews are extensively trained to ensure the safety and security of all customers," a Delta spokesperson said in a statement. "It is imperative that passengers comply with crew instructions during all phases of flight, especially at the critical points of takeoff and landing."
It remains to be seen how this will play out after so many recent, well-publicized incidents of airline policy superseding practicality.
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