When New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio returned from participating in the second night of the presidential primary debates in Detroit, he made the passengers on his plane wait so that he and his team could disembark before them.
When the plane landed, a steward came on the intercom and asked everyone to stay seated because de Blasio, his staff, and security detail, who were located in the back, needed to get off right away, according to the New York Post.
The reason for the hasty departure was so de Blasio could tape his appearance on The View.
The passengers, who had to wait an extra 10 minutes, were not happy with the inconvenience, especially since de Blasio had also been five minutes late when boarding.
“This is just a continuation of the rudeness and the bluntness of his performance last night,” a passenger told a New York Post reporter who was also on the flight. “It’s par for the course, par for the course.”
“I don’t think it’s the best thing because we all have places to go,” said Ronald Watson.
When the steward came on the intercom to tell the cabin they could now leave, many passengers sarcastically replied, “Thank you!”
During his opening remarks at the debate, de Blasio was heckled by protesters who were angry over death of Eric Garner and NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who was involved in the incident.
The protesters disrupted the event a second time when they interrupted New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker’s opening statement.
Government Affairs Reporter for NBC New York Melissa Russo had a different take on what happened. Retweeting de Blasio’s national press secretary Jaclyn Rothenberg, Russo said, “I was sitting behind the Mayor in row 14. True that detail, staff and elderly passengers did deplane first. Mayor, in row 13, easily could have done the same, but waited his turn until they were off and until the 12 rows ahead of us had deplaned.”
I was sitting behind the Mayor in row 14. True that detail, staff and elderly passengers did deplane first. Mayor, in row 13, easily could have done the same, but waited his turn until they were off and until the 12 rows ahead of us had deplaned. https://t.co/GkCJQc2CLh
— Melissa Russo (@MelissaRusso4NY) August 1, 2019
