Jason Derulo’s flight to Los Angeles for Sunday’s Teen Choice Awards show did not go as planned. Reports indicate that the singer and his bodyguard were kicked off a Southwest flight on Saturday after the singer and his team got into an argument with an airport employee. Derulo eventually got to Los Angeles, but it definitely didn’t go off as planned. What’s the scoop?
TMZ reports that Jason Derulo’s flight plans derailed when a bodyguard of his didn’t get to go through the Transportation Security Administration pre-check line and preferred boarding. Eyewitnesses report that the singer and his group got worked up over the denial and started shouting at a Reno airport employee.
It seems that the group was then told that they would not be allowed to board the Southwest flight to Los Angeles. However, they reportedly went through security anyway. Once Derulo and his bodyguard boarded the flight, airport police came and removed them.
Jason’s rep indicates that the singer had asked for an escort to help the group get through security more quickly since the TSA pre-check system was down. However, Derulo’s team says that their request was denied and they seemingly called foul. It seems that’s when security indicated that Jason could go on, but his team couldn’t. That’s when security got involved.
After all of the drama, Jason Derulo’s flight plan changed to utilize a private plane instead of Southwest. The So You Think You Can Dance judge posted a video on Instagram from his private jet , with the bodyguard taunting that he couldn’t be kicked off of that flight.
The singer did chat briefly with Entertainment Tonight about the incident at the Teen Choice Awards , saying that “It was a little mishap” and “there was a little confrontation with the people that work at the front.” Derulo claims that he and his team weren’t trying to “cause a ruckus,” but that the airline employees “weren’t being very accommodating.”
Southwest has commented on the incident with Jason Derulo’s flight, nothing that “the group refused to follow boarding procedures.” They share that multiple customers complained about how Derulo’s group was acting and when employees were unable to defuse the situation, airport police were called.
Derulo says that he didn’t say anything to anybody and had nothing to do with the conflict, adding that “Southwest, you got some problems!” In his Instagram video he says he has fired his travel agent for booking him where he wasn’t supposed to be.
How are those following along with the story reacting? While of course the singer’s fans stand behind him, many others are nothing that he and his team come off looking fairly arrogant in this. TSA has procedures and when passengers argue over those procedures, it likely isn’t going to get them the result they want.
Regardless of the drama at the Reno airport with Jason Derulo’s flight , he did get to Los Angeles and was at the Teen Choice Has the singer learned his lesson now about trying to fly Southwest or another traditional flight versus a private flight? Fans will have to stay tuned to find out.
[Photo by Jason Merritt /Getty Images]