A Delta Air Lines flight was delayed and forced to return to the gate at Metro Airport in Detroit on Saturday because a passenger refused to wear a mask.
Delta Flight 201 was about to take off en route to Los Angeles at 8:15 p.m. when the passenger declined to don a mask. She was escorted from the Airbus A321.
"The customer was removed from the plane and the flight departed without incident," Delta spokeswoman Kristin Seay told Deadline Detroit. "Delta requires masks on every flight for the safety of our customers and crew."
According to Delta’s website, "Delta customers and employees are required to wear a face mask, or appropriate cloth face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their travel, aligning with best practice guidelines from the CDC."
The flight was delayed by 41 minutes.
Among the passengers on the flight was the mother of Alexis Wiley, chief of staff for Mayor Mike Duggan.
My mom’s @Delta flight from Detroit to LA just turned around and went back to the gate because a passenger refused to wear a mask. Flight attendants announced masks are non negotiable! Thank you @Delta for putting passenger safety first! @LASpeech pic.twitter.com/vuMUl3fQVH
— Alexis Wiley (@AlexisWileyNews) September 13, 2020
It was at least the second time this summer that a Delta flight at Metro Airport was delayed and forced to return to the gate because of a passenger refusing to wear a mask. On July 23, an Atlanta-bound flight returned to the gate after two passengers refused to don a mask. They were removed from the plane.
Delta passengers who refuse to wear a mask are added to the airline's no-fly list, which included 270 names as of Sept. 3, CBS News reported.
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