Passenger barred from flight because ‘he smelled bad’
A passenger has filed a discrimination complaint against American Airlines after claiming he was prevented from boarding a flight at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport because ‘he smelled bad’.
The Algerian-born man named only as ‘Mehdi’ claims flight attendants approached him as he was about to catch the flight to Dallas and told him to ‘take a shower’.
They told the 27-year-old that crew and passengers had complained about his smell. He told media outlet Agence France-Presse that he had previously doused himself in Dior perfume at the airport’s Duty Free shop.
American Airlines told AFP that the man had ‘visa issues’ but it would not comment further, claiming it wanted to protect the passenger’s privacy.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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