Pepa of the rap group Salt-N-Pepa is considering taking Southwest to court. This comes after the airlines kicked Pepa, real name Sandra Denton, off a flight after a dispute about seat purchases escalated.
Here’s What Happened Between Pepa & Southwest Airlines
According to TMZ Hip Hop, the flight crew deemed Pepa a risk and removed her. The rapper broke down the incident in a video and spoke to the outlet about what happened. Apparently, she was flying from Las Vegas to Nashville for a meeting—a direct flight she often takes.
In 2018, the artist was in a car crash that impacted her knee then and now. So, during this particular trip, Pepa purchased two seats on the flight and paid for wheelchair assistance from a greeter. She was wearing a knee brace.
However, after boarding the plane and taking both her seats, a flight attendant reportedly told her she wasn’t allowed to do so. The reason was allegedly that neither of Sandra Denton’s legs was in a cast. She and the attendant went back and forth a bit before the Southwest Airlines employee allowed her to remain put.
Southwest Responded To The Incident Like THIS
Not long after interacting with the flight attendant, Pepa says a man approached her and requested her second seat.
He allegedly claimed he was headed to a funeral. She tried to explain why she had two seats. In response, the man insisted that he was flying to a funeral. Meanwhile, the surrounding passengers allegedly began arguing about whether she should give up her seat or not. Eventually, the man got her seat.
Sandra’s assistant was traveling with her. The rapper called the assistant on the phone to have her record the interactions, but officials removed Pepa from the flight within a few minutes.
She wasn’t given a reason at the time. Afterward, though, she was told it was because she was recording and made the flight crew feel unsafe. The artist confirmed to TMZ Hip Hop that she never recorded the actual flight.
Following the incident, Southwest Airlines reportedly reimbursed her $2,500 for both her seats on the plane. However, she was not reimbursed for the $300 wheelchair assistance and $500 car service in Nashville. She also got the chance to reschedule the meeting.
Nonetheless, she told TMZ she’s exploring if the airlines violated the American Disabilities Act, given that her tickets were marked “disabled.”
