Bebe Rexha Alleges Discrimination at Munich Airport: Claims She Was Threatened and Banned from Flight for Speaking Albanian

Bebe Rexha Alleges Discrimination at Munich Airport: Claims She Was Threatened and Banned from Flight for Speaking Albanian

Bebe Rexha has accused a security agent at Munich Airport of committing a hate crime against her, claiming she was threatened and barred from boarding her flight simply for speaking Albanian.

In a series of emotional Instagram Stories posted on Saturday, the pop star tearfully recounted a distressing encounter that occurred while she was attempting to board a flight with German airline Lufthansa. “I’ve been threatened because I thought the security agent was Albanian,” Rexha wrote in a now-expired video. “I spoke to him in Albanian, asking where to get my ticket, and now he is banning me from the flight.”

Rexha, whose family has North Macedonian and Albanian roots, further explained in a follow-up post that she believes the incident was motivated by discrimination. “I believe this to be a hate crime because I am Albanian,” she stated. “He would not let me take his name. He continued to mentally abuse me to make me feel like he was more powerful than he was.”

She added that none of the Lufthansa staff intervened during the incident, and that the security agent refused to provide his name. She later identified him as an employee of ATSG, a service company responsible for document control hired by Lufthansa.

Rexha’s mother, Bukurije “Bukie” Rexha, also took to social media, urging the authorities to ensure her daughter’s safety. “Please make sure @BebeRexha makes it home safe,” she wrote, calling on Munich Airport to investigate the male officer who allegedly threatened her daughter for speaking Albanian and to review security footage.

Despite the turmoil, Rexha was eventually able to board her flight on time. The singer later confirmed that Lufthansa had reached out to her regarding the incident, but she expressed that a simple apology would not suffice. “I have never been so emotionally drained,” she wrote. “@Lufthansa has direct-messaged me, but I urge them to do a full investigation on finding out who this man who was abusing his power is. An ‘I’m sorry’ is not gonna cut it this time.”

In response to the allegations, Lufthansa, Munich Airport, and Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) released a joint statement to Entertainment Weekly on Sunday. “We contacted Bebe Rexha directly yesterday to understand the situation and are conducting an internal review on the matter. As an international airline, we connect people and countries around the globe. 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’s representatives have not yet responded to Entertainment Weekly’s request for comment.

Although Rexha has not made further statements about the incident, her mother shared another message demanding the airline identify the agent responsible, labeling his behavior as “discriminatory and degrading” and suggesting that it “may warrant legal action.”

Rexha is known for being vocal on social media, and this isn’t the first time she has aired her grievances publicly. Just last month, she expressed her frustration with the music industry on X, stating, “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… Things must change or I’m telling ALL of my truths. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”

She later clarified that her posts stemmed from “sadness” rather than anger, reflecting on how she has been treated since her pop debut in 2014. In addition to her solo career, Rexha is well-known for her collaborations with artists such as David Guetta, Rita Ora, Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg, and Louis Tomlinson.

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