Savannah Chrisley Says She Was ‘Thrown Off’ a Southwest Flight for Being an ‘Unruly Passenger’: ‘The Worst Thing in the Entire World’
UPDATE: 4/22, 1:56 p.m. ET — Southwest Airlines is "looking into the situation," a rep told Entertainment Tonight on Saturday, April 22. "Our initial reports indicate a different story than the one from the Customer's account, as she arrived at the gate late in the boarding process and repeatedly insulted our Employee after being asked to gate-check her bag. ... As a result, the Customer was denied boarding on her original flight, and we booked her on a later flight the same day."
Original story:
Telling her side of the story. Savannah Chrisley called out Southwest Airlines for allegedly forcing her to get off a flight.
The reality star, 25, took to social media on Thursday, April 20, to break down the alleged incident that took place at New York City's John F. Kennedy airport. Chrisley, who was headed home to Tennessee, said she got into an argument with an airline attendant over checking her carry-on bag.
"Alright guys, so I officially know why everyone hates Southwest so much. I mean absolutely hates it — the worst thing in the entire world," she said via Instagram Story before zooming in on a Southwest employee. "This man right here — awful. I went to board my flight and he told me that I had to check my bag. I was like, 'OK, if you wouldn't mind, I'm going to take my bag on the flight, see if I can't make it fit and if not, I'll check it.'"
The Chrisley Knows Best alum was told she couldn't take her luggage with her. After she questioned the decision, the "Unlocked” podcast host claimed the attendant referred to her as an "unruly passenger" before a pilot attempted to help.
"The Southwest attendant literally looked at the pilot — the man who was flying our plane and is responsible for our safety — and said stay out of it," she continued, noting that the pilot previously requested that the attendant "calm down."
Chrisley's attempt to defend the pilot ultimately got her kicked off the flight, she claimed, "Now, I'm not going to lie, when this Southwest attendant told the pilot to calm down, I told him that there was no need for him to be an a—hole today and then he threw me off the flight."
The TV personality recalled trying to explain that she "absolutely" needed to get home to look after her 10-year-old niece, Chloe.
"The Southwest attendant said, 'I don't care,'" Chrisley alleged. "I told him that I hope he finds a better purpose for his life. Maybe I shouldn't have said it, but the devil came over me and Jesus did not come out."
In the lengthy social media videos, the Growing Up Chrisley alum offered a message to the "good-looking" pilot who took her side. "Southwest you're awful, but to the pilot who stood up for me and was a real good-looking guy — my hat goes off to you. You're great. Maybe switch airlines," she joked before adding that the airline "sucks" in her experience.
According to Chrisley, she was able to get on a connecting flight through Baltimore to return to her family. In addition to Chloe, the Sassy by Savannah founder previously revealed that she has also custody of her 16-year-old brother, Grayson, while their parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, are behind bars.
The reality couple was indicted in 2019 on charges of tax evasion, bank and wire fraud and conspiracy. After being found guilty in June 2022, Todd, 54, was sentenced to 12 years in prison while Julie, 50, received a seven-year sentence behind bars.
In December 2022, Savannah candidly addressed the concerns she has about her next chapter. “In my mind, I’m like, ‘I can’t move on with my life,’” she said on her “Unlocked” podcast. “Until I know that they’re going to be there, I can’t get married. I can’t have a kid.”
She continued: “I keep pushing forward because that’s always been my easy, go-to, where I don’t have to focus on anything else. So, business-wise, I’m going to push forward. I’m going to do my podcast, Sassy, I’m going to do all the things. But personally, I feel like there’s a level of guilt associated with moving on with my life and thinking of mom and dad not being here during certain life events.”
Since her mother and father reported to their respective prisons in January, Savannah has offered a look at her new normal.
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“I had a breakdown [thinking], ‘I don’t know how [my mom has] done in all these years.’ Like, she’s an angel. She’s one of a kind,” she said on the “Off the Vine” podcast in March. “In no way, shape or form will I ever be their mother. I’m still their sister. I see single moms and I’m like, ‘How do you do it?’ … Now I’m like, ‘It’s just a packaged deal. Do you want to go to dinner? These two are coming along.’”