Azealia Banks walks off Aer Lingus flight at Gatwick after spat with crew

Ranting: Azealia Banks was not happy in her Instagram rant
Brad Barket/Getty Images for SKYY Vodka
Natasha Sporn21 January 2019
The Weekender

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Rapper Azealia Banks walked off an Aer Lingus flight from Gatwick to Dublin after a spat with the crew.

Banks chose to disembark the plane before take-off after a verbal altercation took place between her and airline crew when she told them not to stare at her as she was being asked questions.

She was travelling to Dublin for a sell-out gig.

Aer Lingus confirmed that two passengers chose to get off the flight before take-off and that it had a zero tolerance policy towards disruptive guest behaviour.

Banks posted a series of expletive-filled Instagram stories describing what happened and said that one member of the airline crew had accused the rapper of saying she would "sort her out".

In one post she appeared to describe a air hostess an "Irish b****".

She said: “Every time I come to the UK, they always make some s*** with these airline people. They are always starting s*** with me.

Tearful: The rapper broke down in a furious rant
Instagram / Azealia Banks

“I had my bags deep in the plane and the lady was asking me some questions. I was trying to find my passport as I didn't have the answers and she was staring at me.”

The rapper claimed she had been “treated like a wild animal” and denied that she had told the stewardess she would “sort her out”, saying that she does “not use that kind of slang”.

Incensed, Banks continued: “I get off the plane. I’ve worked too hard in my life to be cornered by some ugly Irish b****.

“They tried their hardest to get me to do something or freak out,” she added of security staff.

Sold out show: Azealia Banks had been due to fly to Dublin for a gig of her 212 tour
Cassandra Hannagan/Getty Images

The 27-year-old then turned her attention to alternative routes to her show, including driving and taking the ferry, before telling fans she was “worn out” from her “travel day from hell”.

In a statement, Aer Lingus said: “Aer Lingus can confirm that two guests scheduled to fly on 10:55am flight from London Gatwick to Dublin (EI233) this morning disembarked themselves prior to departure.

“The guests in question got off the plane safely of their own accord, while all other guests remained on board. As they had luggage in the hold, the flight was delayed while that luggage was sourced. The flight departed Gatwick at 12:07 and landed in Dublin at 13:22.

“Aer Lingus has a strict no-tolerance policy towards disruptive guest behaviour. The safety and security of our guests and crew remains our first priority.”

Standard Online has contacted representatives for Banks for comment.

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