Salt-N-Pepa’s Sandra Denton is applying pressure to Southwest Airlines after being removed from a flight last month.
According to a legal letter obtained by TMZ, Denton’s lawyers are demanding an investigation and preservation of evidence, hinting at a potential lawsuit.
The letter, sent to Southwest, accuses the airline of mishandling the situation and alleges that the “Push It” rapper was subjected to “inappropriate and unnecessary action” by a male agent. Further, Denton’s attorneys suspect she might have been racially profiled and discriminated against, and they’re raising eyebrows about how some policies were enforced.
Denton’s legal team also claims she’s suffered embarrassment, harassment, and loss of income due to the incident. They are calling for a “fair and transparent resolution” and have instructed Southwest to retain all evidence related to the matter, demanding a response by the end of the month.
Speaking with the outlet last month, the Grammy-winning artist revealed that the drama began when she refused to give up one of the two seats she had paid for, which provided extra legroom due to an injury, to another passenger.
“I got on the plane. I had my brace with me but didn’t have it on at that particular moment. I took it out my bag to put it on – I was stretching my legs,” she said.
During this incident, Denton recalled being approached by a flight attendant who initially tried to give her seat away, but quickly backtracked, acknowledging his mistake. “I just said ‘thank you,’” she added.
However, moments later, Pepa found herself in another pickle when a man approached her, claiming he was headed to a funeral. When he refused to “swear” he was telling the truth, the iconic rapper also turned down his request.
Pepa pointed out that the only empty seat on the flight was the one next to her, which she had purchased.
“Next thing I know they got back on the plane. The flight attendant said ‘Get your things. You’re getting off.’”
Maintaining that there was no argument with either herself, the passengers, or the flight attendants, Denton described the entire situation as very strange.
“When I got off the plane, sadly they had three police officers waiting for me. I turned around and I said ‘This is for me?’ – “They escorted me out the airport,” she concluded.
It’s worth noting that Southwest refunded Pepa $2500 for the two seats she paid for. The airline stated that police became involved because after she was refunded, she did not have a valid ticket, and it is standard procedure for police to escort unticketed individuals from the terminal.
Additionally, the outlet reported that Southwest claims it removed her from the flight because she did not follow a crew member’s instructions. However, it remains unclear how she was not in compliance with the crew’s instructions.