A Texas man was escorted off a Spirit Airlines flight after refusing to remove his hoodie bearing the phrase “FVCK HATE WORLD TOUR,” sparking a viral debate about freedom of expression and airline policies.
John Garcia Jr, 43, was flying from Los Angeles to San Antonio when the incident unfolded, as documented in a Facebook video posted in the group 210 La Chismosa. The clip shows Garcia confronting flight attendants over what he called an “unfair” and “surprising” decision, reported the San Antonio Express-News.
“It caught me totally by surprise,” Garcia told the San Antonio Express-News. “Like, ‘Man, are you serious?’”
Hoodie sparks tension at 30,000 feet
The father of four had just stowed his luggage when a female flight attendant questioned his seating. After confirming his seat, she walked away, only to return minutes later with a demand: remove the hoodie due to its “obscene language” or leave the flight.
Garcia refused, arguing that his sweatshirt wasn’t offensive. Spirit Airlines’ policy states passengers may be removed for “lewd, obscene, or offensive” clothing, but Garcia questioned whether the phrase violated any specific guidelines, reported San Antonio Express-News.
As tensions escalated, a male flight attendant joined in, presenting an ultimatum: the hoodie comes off, or Garcia gets off. Feeling cornered, Garcia eventually removed the hoodie but was still escorted off the plane.
Viral outrage
The incident quickly went viral, with fellow passenger Andrew Martin Hoel posting a video online. In the clip, Hoel dubbed the flight attendant a “Karen” and criticized her for misinterpreting the sweatshirt’s anti-hate message.
“What’s this world coming to… his shirt literally is anti-hate, and he got hated on,” Hoel wrote.
Online commenters rallied behind Garcia, calling the airline’s actions an overreach. “I hope he sues the s–t out of Spirit,” one person wrote, while another quipped, “It said ‘FVCK HATE.’ Should we be promoting people to HATE?”
Spirit Airlines responds
In a statement, Spirit Airlines said, “We want all 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 endured a grueling 12-hour layover. Meanwhile, the incident has reignited conversations about free expression, corporate discretion, and the blurry line between provocative and inappropriate.
