Couple Accused of Throwing Coffee at Miami Airport Workers to Force Their Way Onto Flight to Cancun In Viral Video Says It Was All a Misunderstanding
A Brazilian couple who went viral after authorities said the two tried to force their way onto an American Airlines flight and hurled coffee at two airport staffers in the process spoke out about the incident, chalking it up to a misunderstanding.
Authorities say Beatriz Rapoport de Campos Maia, 29, and her fiancé, Rafael Seirafe-Novaes, 41, tried to barge their way through gate agents at the Miami International Airport after they missed the boarding process for their flight to Cancun on March 2.
Both were charged with battery and trespassing. Seirafe-Novaes was also charged with resisting arrest without violence.
After they were released from jail, they defended themselves against the allegations in an interview with CBS News Miami.
“Nobody threw coffee. The coffee fell,” De Campos Maia told the outlet. “The lady who said I threw it was a liar. It just dropped on the floor.”
“I am not crazy. We would not throw coffee. Coffee, I drink,” Rafael Seirafe-Novaes added.
Cellphone video captured the moment multiple officers took down Seirafe-Novaes and stopped De Campos Maia when they went through the gate.
Footage also shows the moments Seirafe-Novaes was escorted in handcuffs to a police vehicle on the tarmac.
The couple said that the missed flight marked their second connection to Cancun, where they wanted to celebrate their engagement.
“We just lost our trip to Cancun. We just got engaged, and what happened is a bad thing,” De Campos Maia said. “We were going to Cancun to enjoy our vacation, all-inclusive hotel. We already paid the hotel. It’s a lot of money. And then we were not able to do that.”
The couple, who are Advantage Platinum Pro members with American Airlines, said they’re unsure whether they’ll try to rebook a new trip to Cancun.
In a statement, American Airlines said, “Acts of violence are not tolerated by American Airlines, and we are committed to working closely with law enforcement in the investigation.”
A spokesperson for the airline told People that the incident ended up delaying the flight to Cancun by nearly 10 minutes. It was set to depart Miami at 9:01 a.m. on March 2 and arrive in Cancun at 10:56 a.m., but left the airport at 9:10 a.m. and arrived at 11:22 a.m.
