Veteran asked to leave plane and strip because of ‘threatening’ statement written on t-shirt

Warning: This article contains discussion of suicide which some readers may find distressing.

An army veteran was kicked off a plane for wearing a t-shirt with a powerful and supportive message.

Catherine Banks was due to fly out of San Francisco International Airport with Delta Air Lines to visit her 'marine sister' when she was ordered off the plane by a flight attendant that said her shirt was 'threatening'.

The incident took place on Wednesday (October 16), and it left the Bay Area veteran humiliated after she was asked to get off the aircraft in front of her fellow passengers, before the male flight attendant demanded she take off her top despite Banks not having a bra on.

The Marine Corps veteran recalled the horrific incident to NBC. She said: "A male flight attendant was saying, 'Ma'am, ma'am.' I looked around, like, 'Who was he talking to?' and it was me. He said, 'You need to get off the plane,' and I was like, 'What did I do?'"

Banks had no clue what she did wrong, it was only after she was forced to get off the plane that she was told.

While on the jet bridge, the flight attendant explained that she wouldn't be allowed to fly with the shirt.

So what was on the shirt?

You'd probably assume it had a curse word emblazoned on it, but no the t-shirt was meaningful to Banks and showed her kind nature.

Marine Corps veteran Catherine Banks was visibly upset when walking to NBC about being 'humiliated' by Delta (NBC)

It read: "Do not give in to the war within. End veteran suicide."

Yes, unbelievably Banks was booted from her seat due to that powerful message.

Before we get into the full discussion, some frightening statistics on veteran suicide so you understand how vital her message was, and is.

According to Stop Soldier Suicide, veterans are at 72% higher risk of suicide than those who haven't served and there have been 20 consecutive years where veteran suicides totalled more than 6,000 annually.

Since 2001, there have been more than 131,000 veterans who have died by suicide, and in 2021 there were 6,392.

So her t-shirt meant a great deal. Recounting the ordeal, Banks told the news outlet: "He said that shirt you're wearing is threatening.

Banks' shirt held a powerful message about soldiers and suicide (NBC)

"I said, 'Are you kidding me? I'm a Marine Corps vet. I'm going to see my Marine sister. I've been in the Marine Corps for 22 years and worked for the Air Force for 15 years. I'm going to visit her.' He said, 'I don't care about your service, and I don't care about her service. The only way you're going to get back on the plane is if you take it off right now.'"

At which point she was forced to take her top off on the jet bridge and put a sweatshirt on, and only then was she allowed to board the plane again - but she wasn't allowed to sit in her seat, which she paid for that had extra leg room.

Instead, she was forced to sit at the back of the plane in a standard seat.

Banks then missed her connecting flight due to her plane being delayed.

A spokesperson for Delta Air Lines said: “The matter with the customer has been resolved. We appreciate her patience as we continue to work to understand what occurred during this event. Most importantly, we are thankful for her service to our country.”

If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.

If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call National Suicide Prevention Helpline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Helpline is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.