LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 3: American Airlines occupy the parking area August 3, 2023 at London Heathrow Airport in London, England. London Heathrow Airport is the second busiest airport in Europe. (Photo by Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
In July, Tiffany Gomas went from a marketing executive to the inspiration behind a wave of viral memes and conspiracy theories. Now, the 38-year-old is apologizing for her outburst on an American Airlines plane. This is her first public statement on the incident.
“Hey everyone, it’s me, Tiffany Gomas, probably better known as the crazy plane lady, which is completely warranted. As you know, I have been unwilling to speak on the viral video, but I do finally feel that it’s time. First and foremost, I want to take full accountability for my actions. They were completely unacceptable. Distressed or not, I should’ve been in control of my emotions, and that was not the case.”
Gomas shared the two-minute clip on her X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube pages on Sunday (Aug. 13). She doubled down on her apology in the caption of her X post, saying her actions were “uncalled for.” Gomas also said it was her “very worst moment captured on video.”
“I apologize and take accountability for my actions, they were uncalled for. My very worst moment was captured on video. Although the memes have been amusing, the flipside has been cruel,” Gomas wrote in the caption. I’m thankful for my friends and family for supporting me through this. This experience has been life-altering, and I hope to do good from it and promote positive mental health.”
However, Tiffany Gomas didn’t address the subject of her outburst in her apology video–aka the “mother****er back there” that she claimed wasn’t “real.” It’s unconfirmed if alcohol or drug-use influenced Gomas’ behavior.
Gomas’ profanity-laced rant happened on a July 2 flight scheduled to travel from Fort Worth, Texas, to Orlando, Florida. However, the 38-year-old’s antics reportedly delayed the flight for hours, leading to her removal from the plane and airport.
According to an incident report by Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Police, Gomas instigated an argument with a family by “accusing them of stealing her [AirPods],” per Newsweek.
Reporter Bree A. Dail obtained and published an incident report to her Substack on July 21. The criminal report shows two offenses against Gomas, including “aircraft disturbance on board” and “criminal trespassing warning.” It’s unclear if the offenses will or have prevented her from traveling via American Airlines.
The July 2 report also stated that after the verbal confrontation with other passengers, Gomas started “claiming that the aircraft was not safe.” She reportedly believed the plane would “not make it to Florida.”
“Due to the statements, the flight attendants felt the aircraft needed to be rescreened. [American Airlines Supervisor Arely Gonzalez] explained that the passenger was denied boarding and they wanted her escorted to the public side,” per the incident report.
Officers on the scene described Tiffany Gomas as “extremely distraught, crying and repeating the flight was not safe and would not make it to Florida.” Bodycam footage shows Gomas recording the plane from the windows near its departure gate. At one point, she tells Gonzalez she doesn’t care if she ever flies with American Airlines again.
For context, there were no reported plane accidents or uncovered safety threats regarding the flight Gomas was on. It’s unclear if the airline has banned Gomas from flying with them.
In her apology video, Tiffany Gomas made no excuses for her rant, calling her foul language “unacceptable.”
“My use of profanity was completely unnecessary, and I want to apologize to everybody on that plane, especially those that had children on board. I can’t imagine going through that and trying to explain to your kid what in the world just happened.”
Again, she did not issue any direct apologies to the family her outburst began with. However, she announced her campaign for mental health and cyberbullying at the end of the apology clip.
“We all have our bad moments, some far worst than others, and mine happened to be caught on camera for the whole world to see multiple times,” Tiffany said with emotion in her voice. “Sorry, I’m trying not to sound like Minnie Mouse. While it has been really comical for everyone, and I have highly enjoyed so many of the memes. On the flip side it is very invasve and unkind. And I don’t know what I would do without the love and support of my friends and family. They are loyal to a fault and I don’t know what I did to deserve them. I hope that I can use this experience and do a little bit of good in the world and that is what I intend to do.”
Tiffany added that she hopes the public will accept her apology, so she can “begin to move on” with her life.
