A Marine Corps veteran, Catherine Banks, was removed from a Delta flight at the San Francisco International Airport for wearing a shirt that brought attention to military suicides. The shirt read, “Do Not Give In To The War Within. End Veteran Suicide.” Banks, a 22-year veteran of the Marines, was flying to visit family and was seated in an extra-legroom seat she had paid for. However, a male flight attendant approached her and told her she needed to get off the plane as her shirt was deemed “threatening.”
Banks complied and was escorted off the plane, where she was told that the shirt she was wearing was considered threatening. She explained to the Delta employee that she was a Marine Corps vet trying to visit her Marine sister, but the flight attendant insisted she must remove the shirt to be allowed back on the plane. Banks, who was braless underneath the shirt, took it off and replaced it with a sweatshirt, feeling humiliated by the ordeal.
The shirt that Banks was wearing is part of the “22 a day collection” by the Til Valhalla Project, which raises awareness about the estimated 22 veterans who commit suicide each day. This issue is particularly concerning, as suicides among active-duty military members are at an all-time high since 9/11. Over 30,000 active-duty personnel and veterans who served post-9/11 have died by suicide, far outnumbering the 7,057 service members killed in combat during the same period.
Despite Banks’ military background, the flight attendant was adamant that she had to remove the shirt to re-board the plane. Delta Airlines has the right to refuse transport to passengers whose conduct, attire, hygiene, or odor may offend or annoy other passengers. Banks felt as though her soul had been taken away by the incident and that she should have been allowed to express her support for veterans. She was also disappointed to find that her paid-for seat had been given to another passenger while she was being re-seated.
In a similar incident in August, another Delta passenger was removed from a flight for wearing a controversial shirt featuring former President Donald Trump. It seems that airlines are becoming increasingly strict about passengers’ attire and conduct while on board. Active-duty troops, veterans, and family members who need help can reach out to the Military Crisis Line/Veterans Crisis Line for support. Overall, the incident involving Catherine Banks highlights the ongoing struggle of raising awareness about veteran suicides and the challenges that come with expressing support for such important causes in public settings.
