MIAMI. – What should have been a routine trip from Quito to Miami ended up becoming viral news this Tuesday. The prestigious Venezuelan singer José Luis Rodríguez, El Puma, was not the protagonist this time for his songs but for an incident on board that delayed the American Airlines flight on which he was preparing to travel, approximately ten minutes.
Through his social networks, the artist denied any act of disorder or disrespect: “It was all a misunderstanding with the crew,” he wrote, dispelling rumors that quickly spread among passengers and online users. However, the audiovisual material shows a tense exchange between the musician and presumably the head of the booth.
Judging by the images, the captain asked the singer to get off the aircraft immediately. Rodríguez, visibly upset, goes to his cell phone and begins to record the altercation.
“I don’t feel well and the crew won’t let me be here, the first time in my life,” he said.
After the ultimatum, the interpreter of Owner of Nothing collected his luggage and left the aircraft.
According to the preliminary version provided to the media by his former manager, Beatriz Parga, the conflict originated when the passenger who was next to El Puma became upset by the briefcase in which the singer carried medicines that he needs after his double lung transplant.
This discussion would have escalated, leading to the intervention of the crew and the subsequent expulsion of the artist as mentioned.
Statements
“I felt insulted, humiliated. They threw me like a criminal off an American Airlines plane,” he lamented, telling his version of the events.
Likewise, he explained that the problem arose due to the handbag that contained his essential medications. He also assured that the problem escalated after he made a comment about the cabin equipment, which was misinterpreted.
He claimed to have tried to reverse the situation, including apologizing directly to staff.
“Three times I asked for forgiveness, three. I humiliated myself and told him: ‘Believe me, they are doing me a lot of harm if they do this to me. I am sleepless, I am very tired, I don’t feel good, they are going to cause me very serious damage,'” he said, deeply distressed. However, his repeated attempts to reverse the situation were unsuccessful, and the crew decided to remove him from the plane.
Finally, El Puma demanded an official apology from the airline and spoke on behalf of all passengers by saying that they deserve to be treated well.
“We are human beings who get into a small, very small space for hours. One must have a blessing, one must be spiritually calm,” he concluded.
For its part, exclusively for DIARIO LAS AMÉRICAS, American Airlines shared an official statement about the event: “Flight 932 was delayed to address a problem related to carry-on luggage. Like all US airlines, we comply with FAA regulations, which prohibit placing luggage in areas that block access to emergency exits. We apologize for the slight delay and appreciate the understanding of our passengers while we prioritize safety.”
According to the airline, the musical icon was sitting in the front row of the cabin, facing a bulkhead, and did not follow the crew’s instructions to place his luggage in the overhead bin. They allege that “as a result, he was relocated to a later flight while the company internally reviews the incident and communicates with him to learn more details about his experience.”
They also reported that the flight finally continued its journey without major inconveniences, but the commotion on networks and among passengers shows how a small misunderstanding can become a focus of instant media attention.
