JetBlue Allegedly Kicked New Jersey Family Off Flight Over Birthday Cake

Another day, another public relations incident aboard a flight. A New Jersey family was reportedly booted from a Las Vegas-bound flight over an argument over where to store a birthday cake. While the family was immediately refunded, the airline is disputing their account of the incident.

The incident — which occurred before departure May 3 aboard JetBlue Flight 611 from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport — reportedly began after a family had been asked by a flight attendant to move a birthday cake from the overhead bin to space beneath a seat. Cameron Burke had reportedly purchased both the cake and the trip as a surprise to his wife Minta for her birthday, and the plan was to meet up with family at their destination.

“A flight attendant nicely asked me to remove the cake from that compartment, so I moved it to another one,” Cameron, a speech pathologist from Jersey City, told New York Daily News Saturday.

The Burkes, who were traveling with their two children, told ABC affiliate WABC in a separate interview that they complied with the flight attendant’s request, but the situation escalated when a second flight attendant got involved.

“You know, you could see the gestures — then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldn't put anything in the overhead compartment? I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, ‘Sir, this does not involve you.’ When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said ‘Ma’am, had you been drinking?’ because her behavior was not normal,” Cameron told WABC.

Read: Woman Forced To Pee In Cup During United Airlines Flight, Was Humiliated By Attendant

Cameron said a different airline employee then approached the family and told them they had to leave the flight, which Cameron contested. He began recording the incident on his phone shortly after two Port Authority police officers boarded the plane and began questioning them.

Video released by the family Saturday shows the moments after the initial confrontation. The family’s 7-year-old son can be heard crying during the questioning, while their daughter, 9, can be heard telling her parents that she’s scared. While one officer can be heard saying that he’s witnessed no wrongdoing on the part of the Burke family, he then goes on to say that the airline is going to have to rebook everyone.

“We were just so happy. Couldn't wait to get to Las Vegas, and all of a sudden this occurred, and my two children are screaming, crying. They're confused not knowing what's going on — they were traumatized," Minta told WABC.

Read: Man Sues American Airlines After 14-Hour Flight Next To Obese Passengers

Cameron told WABC that he never cursed or raised his voice and the family was immediately refunded once back at the terminal. They were reportedly never given a reason for why they were kicked off the flight. JetBlue spokesman Doug McGraw claims the family is at fault for storing the cake in a bin designated for emergency equipment and allegedly refusing multiple requests to move it.

“The customers became agitated, cursed and yelled at the crew, and made false accusations about a crewmember's fitness to fly,” McGraw told NYDN in a statement. “After the customers refused to speak with a team leader about the situation, the Port Authority Police Department was called and the entire aircraft deplaned.”

As the Washington Post noted Sunday, the airline's policy states that passengers “are welcome to bring onboard one carry-on and one personal item, including cakes, within the size limits.”

While the family was able to board a flight for the following day, Burke told NYDN he plans to sue JetBlue.