Bebe Rexha, the 34-year-old “Meant to Be” singer, released an emotional video on social media after claimed she was discriminated against and barred from flying because she spoke Albanian.
The event occurred on Saturday (17 August), when Rexha was scheduled to catch a Lufthansa flight in Munich.
Rexha, known for her hit tracks and songwriting for singers including Selena Gomez, Rihanna, and Eminem, documented the occasion on Instagram. “I’ve been threatened because I thought the security agent was Albanian. I spoke to him in Albanian asking where to get my ticket and now he is banning me from the flight.” she captioned a video of herself in tears.
In a subsequent post, Rexha labeled the event as a hate crime, writing, “I believe this to be a hate crime because I am Albanian.” She also cited the supervisor’s unwillingness to provide his identify and the emotional torture she suffered. “Not one of the women at @Lufthansa stepped in or said something,” she told me.
The emotional toll of the event was clear when Rexha informed her fans on Sunday (18 August) about her tiredness. “I have never been so emotionally drained,” she said. Rexha also asked Lufthansa to undertake a full inquiry. “An ‘I’m sorry’ is not gonna cut it this time.”
Lufthansa responded to the issue by contacting Rexha. In a response to The Independent, the airline reaffirmed its commitment to diversity and equal opportunities. “We reached out to Bebe Rexha and are in direct contact with her to understand the situation. As an international airline, we connect people and countries around the globe.
The statement continued, “Our guests and employees come from all over the world. Diversity and equal opportunity are core values for our company and our corporate culture. We do not tolerate any discriminatory behavior of any kind.”
Rexha has had a challenging few weeks, sharing her frustrations about the music industry on social media earlier this year.
In a July post on X/Twitter, she voiced her concerns about being undermined and silenced. “I could bring down a BIG chunk of this industry. I AM frustrated. I Have been UNDERMINED. I’ve been so quiet for the longest time,” she wrote.
“I haven’t seen the signs even though people constantly are bringing them up and they have been SO OBVIOUS. And when I have spoken up I’ve been silenced and PUNISHED by this industry. Things must change,” she added, threatening to tell “all of my truths. The good the bad and the ugly.”
Despite the trauma, Rexha posted a last update on Sunday, reassuring her fans that she had arrived home safely. “Thank you to everyone who messaged me and shown worry. I arrived home safely, thank God,” she wrote.
The event has generated a conversation on social media about prejudice and the need for responsibility in the aviation sector. Rexha’s experience demonstrates the significance of addressing such issues and ensuring that no one encounters prejudice because of their language or race.
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