A Florida man was kicked off a United Airlines flight Wednesday after attempting to fly with a red thong on his face in place of a mask.
Adam Jenne told NBC affiliate WBBH that he’s pulled the panties stunt on several flights in an effort to make a statement.
“I think the best way to illustrate absurdity is with absurdity,” he said. “Every single flight has been met with different reactions from the flight crew.”
The United flight crew was not amused. Jenne was removed from the flight.
“The customer clearly wasn’t in compliance with the federal mask mandate and we appreciate that our team addressed the issue on the ground prior to takeoff, avoiding any potential disruptions on the air,” said a statement from United shared with NBC News.
The TSA requires travelers to wear masks at airports, on planes, buses and trains. The mandate has been extended through at least March of next year.
Jenne refuses to comply. “I don’t wear the mask in the airport at all, at all.” He later compared his law-breaking to the bravery of civil rights icon Rosa Parks.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been grappling with a spike in unruly behavior on planes all year.
In a typical year, the FAA sees 100 to 150 formal cases of bad passenger behavior. Since January, the FAA has recorded more than 5,660 unruly passenger reports. More than 4,070 of them were mask related.