Woman’s shock after she was ‘banned or life’ by airline

A 24-year-old woman was shocked to learn the reason she was “banned for life” by this major airline.

A woman has revealed the unexpected reason she was “banned for life” from a major airline.

Erin Wright from the US had purchased a $US400 ($600) American Airlines return flight from New Mexico to New Orleans in June ahead of her sister’s bachelorette party.

When she tried to check in online, an error kept occurring so she headed to the airport early to sort it out.

However, after staff also struggled to check her in, it was later revealed she was allegedly on the “no fly list” for “having sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated”.

It came as a major surprise for the 24-year-old for one reason.

“I am a 24-year-old lesbian. You see me. Am I having sexual relations with any man? No,” Erin laughed in her now viral TikTok.

Erin said she had to cough up $US1000 ($1500) to purchase flights with a different airline in order to make her sister’s hen’s party.

She said the gate staff couldn’t tell her why she was black-listed and it wasn’t until three weeks later the reason was revealed after several back and forth emails.

Erin Wright from the US claims she was ‘banned for life’ by United Airlines. Picture: TikTok/erin_wright_

“I got to the airport an hour and a half early, I went to the kiosk and asked them to check me in and they were really nice,” Erin explained in the clip that's amassed 2.6 million views.

She said staff also copped an error but told her not to worry as she probably just entered her name and birth date incorrectly.

The gate staff then spent the next 10 minutes on the phone to try an work out the problem. Erin said at this she was “freaking out” that she was going to miss her flight.

“She gets off the phone and looks nervous. She said ‘ma’am I am really sorry to tell you this but you have actually been banned from flying American Airlines’,” Erin claimed.

She said she was on the ‘no fly list’ because she ‘had sex with a man on an aeroplane even though I am a lesbian’. Picture: TikTok/erin_wright_

A confused Erin demanded to know the reason but the employee couldn’t disclose the information saying it was an issue of “internal security”.

“I was like, ‘what?’ because I’ve never done anything. ‘What did I get banned for, can you tell me?’”

Erin was told to contact customer relations – but was informed they were only contactable via email.

“I realised I am going to miss my [United Airlines] flight and luckily I booked another $1,000 round trip flight to New Orleans.”

She was eventually taken off the no fly list and refunded $US400 for the original flight. Picture: TikTok/erin_wright_

A few weeks after attending her sister’s hen’s party she was officially informed of the reason

“I get an email from cooperate security telling me I am banned because I had sexual relations with a man on a flight while intoxicated.”

@erin_wright_ Update!!! @American Airlines #storytime #airlinetiktok #airportlife #funnystory #funny ♬ original sound - Erin Wright

“It took 12 days and many emails from me between when I contacted customer relations to when I actually got an email back.”

She remained on the no-fly list and had to file an official appeal, as advised by corporate security.

“I email them a very serious email, but also somewhat funny, because in it I am like ‘I don’t really know how to prove it wasn’t me except for the fact that I am literally a lesbian’, she said.

“I can like get you letters from other people telling you that that’s the truth.”

Three months later, Erin said her mother had to reach out to the airline’s legal department and they finally took her off the list and refunded her $US400 for the original flight.

In a follow up video Erin said it has been a “super upsetting experience” adding she wasn’t compensated for the extra flight she had to book “because of their error”.

News.com.au has reached out to American Airlines for comment.