A Texas man was escorted off a Spirit Airways flight after refusing to remove his hoodie emblazoned with the phrase “FVCK HATE WORLD TOUR,” sparking a viral debate about freedom of expression and airline policies.
John García Jr, 43, was flying from Los Angeles to San Antonio when the incident occurred, as documented in a Facebook video posted on the 210 La Chismosa group. The clip shows Garcia confronting flight attendants over what he called an “unfair” and “surprising” decision, the San Antonio Specific-Information reported.
“It took me totally by surprise,” Garcia told the San Antonio Specific-Information. “Like, ‘Man, are you serious?’”
A hoodie generates tension at 30,000 feet
The father of four had just put his luggage away when a flight attendant asked him where he was sitting. After confirming her seat, she walked away, only to return minutes later with a demand: take off her hoodie because of her “foul language” or leave the flight.
García refused, arguing that his sweatshirt was not offensive. Spirit Airways policy states that passengers can be removed for “lewd, obscene or offensive” clothing, but Garcia questioned whether the phrase violated any specific guidelines, San Antonio Specific-Information reported.
As tensions escalated, a flight attendant joined in and presented an ultimatum: Take off the hoodie or Garcia gets off. Feeling cornered, Garcia finally took off his hoodie, but was still escorted off the plane.
viral outrage
The incident quickly went viral and his traveling companion, Andrew Martin Hoel, posted a video online. In the clip, Hoel nicknamed the flight attendant “Karen” and criticized her for misinterpreting the sweatshirt. message against hate.
“Where is this world coming to? His shirt is literally anti-hate and he was hated,” Hoel wrote.
Online commentators supported Garcia and called the airline’s actions an overreach. “I hope he sues the f–king Spirit,” one person wrote, while another joked, “It said ‘FVCK HATE.’ Should we encourage people to hate?
Spirit Airways responds
In a statement, Spirit Airways said: “We want all of our guests to feel welcome and have a great experience while traveling with us. “We are aware of the video and our team is investigating.”
Garcia, a father of four, booked another flight to San Antonio but had to endure a grueling 12-hour layover. Meanwhile, the incident has reignited conversations about free speech, corporate discretion and the blurred line between provocation and inappropriateness.
