JetBlue Bans Rapper for Refusing to Wear Face Mask

It turns out that even celebrities aren’t immune to airlines’ mandatory face mask policies in the time of COVID-19.

Rapper Lil Pump, whose real name is Gazzy Garcia, has been banned from flying JetBlue after refusing to comply with the carrier’s face-covering policy on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on Sunday.

JetBlue representative Derek Dombrowski told USA Today that law enforcement got involved after the 20-year-old Miami native “became verbally abusive with crew members after being asked multiple times and refusing to comply with JetBlue’s face covering policy.”

“His return reservation was canceled and he is no longer welcome to fly on JetBlue. The safety of all customers and crewmembers is JetBlue’s first priority,” added Dombrowski.

In a recent video circulating on social media, Garcia can be seen claiming that “corona is fake” and that’s why he won’t be wearing a mask in 2021.

JetBlue was the first U.S. airline to require face masks back in May and has since joined other carriers in strengthening its policy, which currently requires all crewmembers and customers 2 years and older to wear a proper face covering without vents or exhalation valves for the duration of their journey.