Allegiant passenger removed over flight attendant's mask demands apology from airline

DOVER, N.H. – A New Hampshire man who was kicked off an Allegiant Air flight bound for Portsmouth International Airport at Pease is asking the airline to make amends in a letter released by his attorneys.

This week, John Peterman and his wife are returning to Florida, where they were coming from when the incident occurred, driving because they do not feel comfortable flying right now.

“John is 72 years old and is in the high-risk category for COVID-19,” his attorney Lawrence Vogelman of Shaheen & Gordon, P.A, told the Seacoast Media Group, which is part of the USA TODAY Network. “He flies out of Pease because he feels it is safer. He would not fly out of Logan in Boston because it is too big, too crowded.”

Peterman said he was not looking to cause a disturbance when he boarded Allegiant Flight 1682 from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Portsmouth on Sept. 7. He just wanted to feel safe.

“We are taking Mr. Peterman’s case pro bono,” Vogelman said. “The reason we reached out was because Allegiant immediately put out a statement that was factually not true.”

Peterman states he was denied a request to speak with the plane’s captain to lodge his complaint that a flight attendant was not properly wearing a mask. Instead, he says, he was forcibly escorted off the flight by an Allegiant Air employee before the plane departed.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 on public transportation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “strongly recommends appropriate masks be worn by all passengers and by all personnel.” The CDC also said masks should cover the mouth and nose.

In a letter to Maurice Gallagher, CEO, and the Board of Directors of Allegiant Travel Company, Vogelman indicates he seeks a “response and equitable solution on behalf of his client and the safety of all future passengers.”

“It is obvious to me that your employees have fabricated a story to cover up their outrageous conduct,” Vogelman stated in his letter. “As CEO, however, you should be told what really occurred. John Peterman is a 72-year-old man who, because of medical conditions, needs to be very careful regarding the COVID virus. From his seat, 3A, he noticed one of the flight attendants had her face mask below her nose. Mr. Peterman got the attention of the flight attendant, who then came down the aisle to where Mr. Peterman was sitting. He politely asked her to please cover her nose with her mask. She did not respond but went back to the forward refreshment area.”

Vogelman said they want an apology for Peterman and an acknowledgement he was telling the truth. He was not specific about any potential settlement or compensation.

“He is also concerned that he does not end up on some crazy no-fly list for Allegiant,” Vogelman said.

“The flight attendant did not adjust her mask but was engaged in a conversation with another flight attendant. A few minutes later, Mr. Peterman was approached by an Allegiant employee who told him he needed to leave the airplane. That employee said it was 'captain’s orders.' The captain never spoke to Mr. Peterman and never asked him what had occurred. When Mr. Peterman protested his removal, another Allegiant employee began to physically remove him from the plane. Mr. Peterman called for the captain. Again, the captain never spoke to Mr. Peterman.”

Vogelman said Peterman was told to go to the ticket counter and book another flight. As there was no flight to Portsmouth anytime soon, Peterman was forced to take a flight to Newburgh, New York, where he had a friend from New Hampshire drive 10 hours roundtrip to bring him home.

“In an effort to cover up their misconduct, the Allegiant employees fabricated a story and released it to the press,” he said. “They claimed that Mr. Peterman repeatedly interrupted the flight attendant while she was giving her announcement to the passengers. That never happened.”

"A passenger became disruptive during the pre-flight safety briefing," Allegiant spokesperson Hilarie Grey told USA TODAY at the time. "Following the announcement, the passenger persisted in making threatening statements to the flight attendant, to the point of harassment."

Reached by email on Wednesday, Grey thanked Seacoast Media Group for contacting Allegiant for this story, but said the company has no further comment.

In video following the incident obtained by USA TODAY, an airline station agent tells the man he needs to leave the plane or law enforcement will be called. Some other passengers can be heard grumbling things like, "Oh c'mon" and "This is ridiculous."

The passenger asked to take his case up with the captain as he was led off the plane, saying, "I just asked somebody to put on their face mask. That's all I did."

Just after the incident, Grey said after the man continued his "disruptive behavior," and that "the decision was made to deplane the passenger," noting that interfering with a crew member is an FAA violation. "He was reaccommodated to a later flight."

Allegiant's mask policy requires all passengers wear face coverings except children under age 2 or those who can present documentation of a medical problem at least one hour prior to departure.

More: Allegiant passenger removed after dispute over flight attendant's face mask

This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Allegiant Air flyer removed over flight attendant's mask wants apology