Armed police intervened to remove an angry family from a plane after they claimed they were asked to surrender a business class seat for an airline staff member. Ivan Lopes, accompanied by his wife and two daughters, aged 25 and 11, experienced the incident on an Air France flight from Paris to Salvador, Brazil, on January 14. The family had upgraded to business class from premium economy but encountered issues at the gate when they were told there was a technical problem with seat 7L, preventing one of their daughters from benefiting from the upgrade.
Upon boarding, they found seat 7L occupied by a French passenger, believed to be affiliated with Air France, while the actual problematic seat was 5L. Mr. Lopes disputed the situation, leading to a confrontation in front of other passengers. The family alleged the captain and cabin crew were uncooperative and the situation escalated to the point where armed police were summoned to escort them off the plane.
Following legal advice, the family purchased new business class tickets on another airline and faced a delay in retrieving their luggage. They estimated their financial losses at €16,000 (£14,000), including original tickets, upgrade fees, replacement flights, and additional expenses. They intend to take legal action against Air France, claiming the airline’s response was excessive and caused distress, especially to their 11-year-old daughter.
Air France acknowledged the family’s removal from the flight but disputed their version of events, stating that their behavior was disruptive and caused delays. The airline explained that a business class seat was malfunctioning, and their upgrade policy allows for cancellation with a refund in such cases. Air France offered to seat the family together in premium economy but claimed the family insisted on retaining three business class seats.
The airline emphasized the captain’s decision to remove the family was based on ensuring flight safety and orderliness. They highlighted their commitment to passenger and crew safety as their top priority.