Bebe Rexha, her voice tinged with emotion, has disclosed a harrowing experience where she alleges being threatened and subsequently denied boarding on a Lufthansa flight, solely because she engaged in a conversation with a security agent in Albanian, her native tongue. The 34-year-old singer, proud of her Albanian and North Macedonian heritage, took to Instagram on Saturday, sharing a heart-wrenching video of herself in tears, narrating the unjust turn of events as reported by various outlets.
"Lufthansa, I find myself in a predicament where I've been threatened, all because I mistook a security agent for a fellow Albanian and addressed him in our language, inquiring about my ticket. Little did I know, this innocent gesture would lead to my exclusion from the flight," she captioned over footage of herself detailing the ordeal.
The "Say My Name" hitmaker further lamented the absence of any female Lufthansa employees offering support during this trying time, as recounted by the New York Post. "Not a single female representative from Lufthansa intervened or spoke up on my behalf," Rexha expressed, her voice laced with disappointment. "He refused to disclose his name, but I've since discovered he's affiliated with ATSG, a service company contracted by Lufthansa for document control."
In a separate, impassioned post, Rexha labeled the incident a "hate crime," rooted in her Albanian identity. "I firmly believe this to be an act of hatred against me, as an Albanian. He withheld his name and mentally tormented me, fostering a sense of his own superiority," she declared, her words resonating with outrage.
HuffPost has reached out to both Lufthansa and Rexha's representatives for comment. In a subsequent update on Saturday, Rexha acknowledged Lufthansa's initial outreach but urged for a thorough investigation. "While I appreciate their response, I implore Lufthansa to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the identity of this individual who abused his position of power," she pleaded on Instagram Stories. "A mere apology falls short of addressing the gravity of this situation."
It remains unclear whether Rexha was able to secure a seat on an alternative flight. The singer was reportedly on her way to the United States from Munich International Airport in Germany, as per the Post.
This harrowing episode echoes another incident in July 2023, where Rexha was physically injured during a New York City concert when a cellphone was hurled from the audience, striking her face. She was promptly rushed to the hospital for treatment, later sharing a TikTok update showcasing her bruised eye and bandaged eyebrow, accompanied by the reassuring message, "I'm okay, you guys."
