Ethiopian Airlines Clarifies Viral Video Incident Involving Alleged VIP Seat Allocation

Ethiopian Airlines has addressed the controversy surrounding a viral video that circulated online, showing a disgruntled passenger being escorted off a flight. The video, shared by CNN’s Larry Madowo, depicted a passenger complaining after allegedly being removed from her seat, which she claimed was reserved for a minister. The incident raised concerns over potential preferential treatment and inequality.

In the video, the passenger is seen demanding equality and insisting that the minister should leave the flight instead. The situation escalated, and the passenger was eventually removed from the plane while visibly distressed.

Ethiopian Airlines released a statement clarifying the events that led to the incident. According to the airline, the misunderstanding stemmed from an overbooking situation on flight ET308, which was scheduled to fly from Addis Ababa to Nairobi on Friday, July 19. The airline explained that three passengers with standby economy class boarding passes arrived at the gate shortly before departure and were advised to rebook on the next available flight.

Ethiopian Airlines Clarifies Viral Video Incident Involving Alleged VIP Seat Allocation.

“However, they ignored the advice of the Boarding Agent and attempted to board the aircraft bypassing security personnel at the boarding gate. Our staff members courteously asked these passengers to disembark,” the statement read in part.

Ethiopian Airlines emphasized that the seats in question were not influenced by the presence of a national VIP passenger in business class. The airline assured the public that their seating protocol, which prioritizes VIPs, Business Class Passengers, and Platinum ShebaMiles members only after all other passengers have been seated, was strictly followed.

“A misapprehension arose among the standby passengers, leading to the distorted belief that their seats had been allocated to a VIP. This is not the case, and the circulating video does not reflect the true sequence of events,” the statement continued.

The airline expressed gratitude to its patrons for allowing them to clarify the situation and reiterated its commitment to the safety and well-being of all passengers, as well as adherence to established operational guidelines. The three affected passengers were rebooked and boarded the next available flight.

This clarification aims to dispel any misunderstandings and assure the public of Ethiopian Airlines' dedication to fair and equitable treatment of all passengers.