Terrell Davis Accuses United Airlines of "Deplorable Treatment" After Being Handcuffed on Flight
Former NFL star Terrell Davis has accused United Airlines of "deplorable treatment" after he was unjustly handcuffed on a flight from Denver to Orange County, California. Davis, a Pro Football Hall of Fame running back, claims that a flight attendant falsely accused him of hitting him, leading to a dramatic and humiliating incident.
According to Davis, the incident occurred during a flight from Denver to Orange County, where he was traveling with his wife and three children. During beverage service, his son politely requested a cup of ice, but the flight attendant either didn’t hear or ignored the request. Davis calmly reached behind him to lightly tap the attendant’s arm to get his attention, but the attendant then accused him of hitting him.
The situation escalated when the FBI was called to the scene, and Davis was handcuffed and removed from the flight in front of his family and other passengers. Davis claims that he was treated unfairly and that the flight attendant was "inaccurate in his accusations."
"I refuse to stand by without speaking out on this disgusting display of injustice and deplorable treatment by United Airlines," Davis wrote on Instagram. "I was — and remain — humiliated, embarrassed, powerless and angry."
Since Davis’ Instagram post, United Airlines has released a statement apologizing for the incident. "This is clearly not the kind of travel experience we strive to provide, and we have reached out to Mr. Davis’s team to apologize," the airline said.
The Los Angeles FBI office also released a statement, confirming that agents and law enforcement partners were dispatched to Orange County’s John Wayne Airport to respond to a report of an incident aboard a flight. "One individual was detained for questioning, was cooperative with law enforcement and was released to continue his travels," the FBI statement reads.
Davis, 51, played seven NFL seasons from 1995-2001, all of them with the Denver Broncos. He starred alongside quarterback John Elway on teams that won consecutive Super Bowls after the 1997 and 1998 seasons. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
The incident has sparked outrage and concern among fans and travelers, who are calling for United Airlines to take immediate action to address the situation.
