ACTRESS Melissa Mendez was offloaded from a flight on Friday for allegedly punching a co-passenger and a cabin crew.
In a video uploaded by model/athlete Andrew Wolf on Instagram, he said the incident happened while they were in the middle of a flight to Pagadian City.
Wolf said that a certain actress with initials M.M. threw a fit during the flight.
“I’ve seen some crazy things in my life. I regularly travel on planes for work, but this has got to be probably one of the most ridiculous things that I have experienced,” he said.
Wolf added: “A certain Filipina actress, past her prime may I add, decided to use our reserved seats on the plane. After being asked to move by flight attendants, the captain and even ground security she agreed to go to her seat (after 30 mins of cursing).”
“Kept claiming she was some sikat na star dati with initials M.M. She smelled like a beer brewery, you just knew something was gonna happen…. Anyway, half way to our destination to talk to our programmer in Mindanao, this “actress” decided to curse continually at my friend,” he said.
Wolf posted a video of a woman, who was easily recognized by the netizens as Mendez.
He said the actress received warning from the flight attendants because of her unruly behavior. He then alleged that she punched his friend and cabin crew.
“She was given 2 warning cards by flight attendants, but didn’t stop. She punched my friend and the flight attendants and had to be restrained,” he said.
The captain then decided to return to Manila.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I apologize, but we have to go back to Manila due to one unruly passenger,” the captain said.
Wolf said that the captain refused Mendez’s appeal to re-join the trip.
“Captain: Hindi na, bababa ka na, hindi ka puwedeng sumakay, nasakatan mo pati flight stewardess ko.”
Mendez, in an exclusive interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP.ph), said she was originally given seat 2B but moved to 1A so that she could take photos of the clouds.
Melissa claimed she requested Wolf and his friend, who was assigned at seat 1A, if she could stay in the said chair while the plane was taking off.
“Sabi ko, ‘Puwede makisuyo, favor lang. Dito muna ako para lang pag-take off makuhanan ko ng picture yung clouds. Sabi niya (friend of Wolf), ‘Hindi puwede binayaran namin yang upuan na yan,” the actress said.
She said Wolf’s friend threatened to hit her with his bag.
“Pag hindi ka umalis diyan, hahampasin ko yang mukha mo ng bag ko. May lalaki bang magsasalita nang ganun sa babae?” she asked.
Melissa said this was the time she lost her cool with Wolf’s companion.
“Nagalit ako. Parang nakikiusap lang ako sa iyo? Bigla mo akong pagsasalitaan ng ganyan? Mataas ang boses ko. Mataas din ang boses niya,” she said.
When the flight was already en route to Pagadian, Melissa said she approached the flight attendant if she could talk to Andrew and his friend to settle the matter.
“Tumayo ako at lumapit ako sa kanya. Sabi ko, ‘bakit ka naman nagsasabi na hahampasin mo ang mukha ko ng bag mo’. Sabi sa akin, ‘Lumayo ka sa akin, ang baho-baho ng hininga mo. Bad breath ka,” she said, adding the guy’s foul language prompted her to slap him.
“So yung galit ko, tapos sasabihan pa niya ako ng bad breath ko. Tapos sinabi pa ni Andrew na nakainom daw ako. Hindi naman ako umiinom. I don’t drink at all,” she said.
“Nasampal ko siya, inaamin ko yun. Right after that inawat na ako ng stewardess, so umupo na ako. Nagsalita yung piloto na babalik daw ng Maynila kasi may unruly passenger. Nagulat ako bakit isang passenger lang, dapat dalawa kami kasi yung altercation (is) between two people.”
But she denied slapping a flight stewardess.
“Wala, wala. Sinungaling! Kahit magtanong pa kayo sa lahat ng pasahero doon. Wala akong sinaktan, wala akong inapakan, wala akong sinampal na flight attendant,” she said.
In the end, Melissa apologized to her co-passengers who witnessed and were affected by the incident.
“Humihingi ako ng pasensiya, ng patawad kung naabala ko sila. Hindi ko sinasadya yun. Nasaktan lang ako, isa lang ako sa pasaherong nasaktan. Hindi ako nagpaka-star dahil hindi ko naman pini-feel na artista ako. At wala akong natapakan na tao mula noon hanggang ngayon. Wala,” she said. (Sunnex)
