Removed From Delta Connection Flight, Allegedly For Swearing

A New Yorker's colorful language got him removed from an Atlantic Southeastern Airlines flight operating as a Delta codeshare, and now he's threatening to sue the airline ... even though no charges were filed against him.

Robert Sayegh was returning from a wedding in Kansas City last Saturday, and had a layover in Detroit before continuing on the Newark, NJ. The flight was delayed, and Sayegh and the other passengers were reportedly on the plane for some 45 minutes before it finally pushed back from the gate and started to taxi to the runway.

What got Sayegh in trouble was a comment he made to another passenger and overheard by a flight attendant before the pushback. The Detroit News reports that he said "What's taking so (deleated) long to close the overhead compartments?"

After pushing back from the gate, the plane returned to the terminal, airport police boarded the plane, and escorted the TV Producer and children's author back up the jetway. Sayegh was told he was being "disruptive."

In his defense, Sayegh said being from Brooklyn "we use curse words like adjectives." An airline spokeswoman said the carrier is "conducting a full investigation of the incident," and that as a Delta Connection airline, they comply with Delta's standards, which allows them to remove passengers when they are "abusive, disorderly, or violent." They also reserve the right to remove a passenger who appears to be drunk or under the influence of drugs.

Sayegh admits to being hung over, but not drunk. He told the paper that he had a relative and several friends killed in the 9/11 attacks, and would never disrupt a flight. He was booked to Newark on a later flight.

FMI: www.flyasa.com