Barely covered: Man in US kicked off flight for wearing red thong as face mask

Tired of face masks, one man decided to vent his frustration by boarding a plane while wearing a rather interesting substitute. 

Adam Jenne, 38, was booted off a United Airlines domestic flight on Thursday (Dec 16) for not complying with Covid-19 regulations. 

He had boarded the plane with a red thong draped across his face, instead of a face mask that's required for air travel.

A video clip of the incident showed a flight attendant informing Jenne that the airline would not let him travel as he was "not in mask compliance". 

The airlines' rules state that all passengers have to wear face masks "that fully covers their nose and mouth". 

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"So I can't fly because this doesn't work?" Jenne asked as he gestured at the brightly coloured undergarment. 

After a brief argument with the flight attendants, he got out of his seat and left the aircraft. Moments later, another passenger disembarked after learning that Jenne was removed from the flight. 

Despite the ruckus he had caused on the plane, the man stood by his actions. 

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He told American news outlet NBC2: "I think the best way to illustrate absurdity is with absurdity," adding that he was "tired" of the mask mandate. 

And this wasn't Jenne's first time boarding a flight with panties on his face. 

“Every single flight has been met with different reactions from the flight crew,” he said. “Some with a wild appreciation, others confrontational.” 

Jenne added that he plans to board another flight wearing the thong again. 

In response to the incident, United Airlines said: "The customer clearly wasn't in compliance with the federal mask mandate and we appreciate that our team addressed the issue on the ground prior to takeoff, avoiding any potential disruptions on the air." 

Last September, a man was also booted off a flight in Japan for refusing to wear a face mask onboard. His refusal to comply with Covid-19 regulations caused the flight to be delayed for more than two hours. 

claudiatan@asiaone.com