Video: Cody Garbrandt gets kicked off flight over mask dispute

Cody Garbrandt speaks with media at UFC 250. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Cody Garbrandt shares a video in which he got into an altercation with Southwest Airlines staff over a mask dispute involving his two-year-old …


Cody Garbrandt is interviewed backstage during the UFC 250 event at UFC APEX on June 06, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cody Garbrandt speaks with media at UFC 250. | Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Cody Garbrandt shares a video in which he got into an altercation with Southwest Airlines staff over a mask dispute involving his two-year-old son.

Cody Garbrandt was recently removed from a Southwest Airlines flight over a mask dispute involving his two-year-old son.

Garbrandt shared footage of the incident in which he appears to get into a verbal confrontation with cabin crew while also filming two staff members not wearing masks.

“Kicking a two year old off a plane ride but your captains aren’t wearing their masks, while we all are full capacity sharing the same air! What a joke. Fuck @southwestair got kicked off because my 2 year old son wouldn’t put his mask over his face. This coward flight attendant hid his bitch ass in the bathroom”.

Southwest Airlines responded with the following statement (h/t MMA Junkie), claiming that every person aged two and above is required to wear a mask at all times.

“We regret this family experienced any inconvenience during their travel. However, federal law requires Southwest to ensure every person age 2 and over to wear a mask at all times throughout a flight, including during boarding and deplaning. In this situation, the customers opted not to fly on Southwest, and they were offered a full refund of their tickets.”

The airline states on its website that “a properly worn mask completely covers the nose and mouth, is secured to the head with ties, ear loops, or elastic bands that go behind the head, and fits snugly against the side of the face”.

Garbrandt tested positive for COVID-19 in October and has been sidelined since after suffering with long-term complications. The former UFC bantamweight champion is now thought to be fully recovered, however, and is expected to return to the octagon sometime later this year.

‘No Love’ last fought at UFC 250 in June 2020 when he scored a highlight reel knockout of top-ten bantamweight contender Raphael Assuncao.