A family of four traveling from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport to Las Vegas was kicked off their JetBlue flight after they allegedly stored a cake in the overhead compartment.
Minka Burke, the mother-of-two who has kicked off the flight along with her husband Cameron and their children, says that the incident caused her children “scream and cry.” She said they were confused and have been “traumatized.”
The trip, which was a surprise booked by Cameron, was abruptly ended after their airline allegedly kicked them off for bringing a birthday cake onto the plane.
In a video obtained by ABC, Burke’s son is heard crying, saying they followed directions and did nothing wrong. However, JetBlue claims the violation that caused a “security risk” was a birthday cake stored in the overhead bin.
When one of the flight attendants told Cameron Burke to move the cake, he allegedly did so, placing it under the seat. It was at this time the family says the situation escalated when a second flight attendant confronted the first one.
Via ABC:
“You know, you could see the gestures, then she was pointing to her, ‘did you tell him he couldn’t put anything in the overhead compartment?’ Cameron said. “I had approached them, and I said everything was fine. And she said, ‘Sir, this does not involve you.’ When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said, ‘Ma’am, had you been drinking?’ Because her behavior was not normal.”
It was at this point that police were brought on board, followed by an announcement stating that all the passengers had to get on board. Those passengers were reportedly clearly on the side of the Burke family. Cameron said he never cursed or raised his voice, and that at no point was his family told why they were being kicked off the plane.
JetBlue has since released a statement on the incident:
“(The customer) refused multiple requests from the crew to remove the items…became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crewmember’s fitness to fly.”
The Burke family was immediately refunded at the terminal.
