Former NFL star Terrell Davis has publicly shared an incident that occurred on a United Airlines flight from Denver to Orange County, California. Davis claims he was handcuffed in front of his wife and children after an altercation with a flight attendant. He spoke about this experience on “Good Morning America” with Robin Roberts.
The Incident
- Setting: United Airlines flight from Denver to Orange County, California.
- Participants: Terrell Davis, his wife Tamiko, their children, and a flight attendant.
Initial Interaction
- Beverage Service: Davis’s children did not hear the flight attendant’s initial request for their drink order, causing the attendant to become more aggressive.
- Davis’s Action: Davis tapped the attendant on the shoulder to request ice for his son.
- Attendant’s Reaction: The flight attendant accused Davis of hitting him, though another passenger confirmed that Davis only tapped him.
Escalation
- Attendant Replacement: The flight attendant was replaced for the remainder of the flight.
- Upon Landing: FBI and law enforcement agents boarded the plane, initially causing Davis to think there was a medical emergency.
- Handcuffing: Davis was handcuffed without explanation, in front of his family, and told by an agent not to resist.
“[The agent] whispers in my ear, he says, ‘don’t fight it’ and he puts cuffs on me,” Davis said.
Davis said.
“I thought it was a joke, because what else could it be?”
Tamiko said
“I’m looking at looking at my sons who are sitting right next to him, watching their dad being handcuffed,” she continued, getting choked up. “And what could we do? And I’m asking them, ‘what is going on?’ Like why are you doing this?”
Tamiko said
Aftermath
- Public Response: Davis shared his experience on Instagram, calling it a “disgusting display of injustice.”
- Legal Action: Parker Stinar, representing Davis, announced a thorough investigation, considering race as a potential factor.
- FBI Statement: The FBI confirmed that Davis was detained, questioned, and released without incident.
- Apologies: Law enforcement agents apologized to Davis, but he has not received a personal apology from United Airlines.
- United Airlines’ Response: The airline removed the flight attendant from duty and issued a public apology.
Davis’s Goals
- Speaking Out: Davis hopes to bring about change by sharing his story.
- Community Support: He has received numerous messages from others who have had similar experiences.
Terrell Davis: A Brief Background
- NFL Career: Davis spent six years as a Denver Broncos running back, winning two Super Bowl championships and being named MVP of Super Bowl XXXII.
- Post-NFL: Founder of Defy, a sports nutrition company offering performance-boosting drinks and CBD recovery products.
- Family: Davis and Tamiko have two sons, aged 11 and 13, and a 9-year-old daughter.
Davis’s experience highlights the challenges and issues within airline customer service and the broader implications of such interactions. His public stance aims to hold the airline accountable and potentially bring about necessary changes in how incidents are handled.