Singer: 'I had some planes to bomb'
Swedish pop star Dilbahar "Dilba" Demirbag has been turned away from a US Airways flight to Philadelphia after joking that she planned to "bomb some planes".
Expressen reports that Dilba, 35, was approached on Monday by an airline representative as she stood in line at the check-in desk at Arlanda airport in Stockholm.
She was then asked a set of routine questions about the duration of her stay and her accommodation plans.
But the artist soon lost her patience when she felt that her Middle Eastern appearance led to her being detained for longer than any other passengers.
"I replied that I had some planes to bomb on the way home. He didn't find that a bit amusing," she told the newspaper.
Airport Security guards were quickly called over and Dilba was taken away for questioning.
"I was pulled out of the queue and treated like a terrorist," she told Expressen.
The singer added that she was considering reporting US Airways for discrimination.
"I felt insulted, that's why I made the joke. I want to apologize to anybody who took offence," she told Expressen.
One American passenger who witnessed the events was not impressed by the singer's attitude.
"I was in the queue at the time that this prima donna was escorted away. Everyone went through the same routine questioning," he told The Local.
The passenger also dismissed any suggestions that Dilba might have been dealt with more harshly than others preparing to board the flight.
"Days before the US independence day, for which terrorists have publicly promised an attack, and she makes a comment that everyone in the entire world already knows will get you in serious trouble," he said.
Dilba Demirbag was born in the Kurdish region of Turkey in 1971 and moved to Sweden with her family at the age of four.
She developed an interest in music at a young age and in 1996 was awarded a Swedish Grammy for her eponymously titled debut album.
In recent times however Dilba has turned her attentions to professional poker. Her plan on Monday was to take a connecting flight from Philadelphia to Las Vegas where she intends competing at the prestigious World Series of Poker.
After being released from questioning by airport authorities the singer book a flight with another airline and is set to travel to the United States a day behind schedule.
US Airlines meanwhile has rejected Dilba's claim that she is now barred for life from flying with the airline.
"We treat these kinds of comments very seriously and we take the necessary precautions. The passenger in question has not been banned from ever flying with us again; she was just prevented from boarding that particular flight," spokeswoman Elizabeth Landau told Aftonbladet.
"With recent events in mind we ask all our passengers to be on their guard. This was not a case of discrimination against a single individual," she added.
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Expressen reports that Dilba, 35, was approached on Monday by an airline representative as she stood in line at the check-in desk at Arlanda airport in Stockholm.
She was then asked a set of routine questions about the duration of her stay and her accommodation plans.
But the artist soon lost her patience when she felt that her Middle Eastern appearance led to her being detained for longer than any other passengers.
"I replied that I had some planes to bomb on the way home. He didn't find that a bit amusing," she told the newspaper.
Airport Security guards were quickly called over and Dilba was taken away for questioning.
"I was pulled out of the queue and treated like a terrorist," she told Expressen.
The singer added that she was considering reporting US Airways for discrimination.
"I felt insulted, that's why I made the joke. I want to apologize to anybody who took offence," she told Expressen.
One American passenger who witnessed the events was not impressed by the singer's attitude.
"I was in the queue at the time that this prima donna was escorted away. Everyone went through the same routine questioning," he told The Local.
The passenger also dismissed any suggestions that Dilba might have been dealt with more harshly than others preparing to board the flight.
"Days before the US independence day, for which terrorists have publicly promised an attack, and she makes a comment that everyone in the entire world already knows will get you in serious trouble," he said.
Dilba Demirbag was born in the Kurdish region of Turkey in 1971 and moved to Sweden with her family at the age of four.
She developed an interest in music at a young age and in 1996 was awarded a Swedish Grammy for her eponymously titled debut album.
In recent times however Dilba has turned her attentions to professional poker. Her plan on Monday was to take a connecting flight from Philadelphia to Las Vegas where she intends competing at the prestigious World Series of Poker.
After being released from questioning by airport authorities the singer book a flight with another airline and is set to travel to the United States a day behind schedule.
US Airlines meanwhile has rejected Dilba's claim that she is now barred for life from flying with the airline.
"We treat these kinds of comments very seriously and we take the necessary precautions. The passenger in question has not been banned from ever flying with us again; she was just prevented from boarding that particular flight," spokeswoman Elizabeth Landau told Aftonbladet.
"With recent events in mind we ask all our passengers to be on their guard. This was not a case of discrimination against a single individual," she added.
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