A Look Back At Tara Reid's Bizarre Delta Flight Drama

"American Pie" star Tara Reid may have many credits under her belt, but the actor's conflicts have sometimes overshadowed her years of work. Former friend Melissa Joan Hart once dubbed Reid as the "naughty friend," a reputation she's seemed to lean into. In 2008, Reid checked herself into a rehabilitation center to get treated for alcoholism. In 2011, she was in the news again for claiming that she'd gotten married to entrepreneur Michael Lillelund. However, he slammed Reid for flat-out lying about marrying him, claiming they hadn't seen one another in months. And in August 2018, Reid stumbled through an alarming interview with Australia's Today Extra. Odd instances such as these have followed her throughout her career. Therefore, in October 2018, when she famously feuded with Delta Airlines employees, many were not shocked.

In a video obtained by TMZ, Reid can be seen quietly walking down the aisle with her dog and belongings towards the exit. While the clip doesn't show anything too alarming, witnesses told the outlet that before the flight could take off from Los Angeles to New York City, Reid threw a loud fit, which was heard by all. Though she eventually left the plane, Reid's account of events differs significantly from Delta's.

When Tara Reid boarded the Delta flight, passengers claimed she was anything but peaceful. Allegedly, Reid got loud because she was not given a pillow. Passengers said she also yelled at employees because of having an unfavorable seat. Flight attendants attempted to alleviate the problem by speaking with Reid. However, it seems this did not help, and she was reportedly asked to leave. At the beginning of the short video shared by TMZ, a male flight attendant can be heard saying, "We'll carry all your things for you and meet you out here with the captain," before Reid stands from her seat and walks out of view.

Delta spokesman Ashton Kang released a statement to People soon after the confusion. Though he did not go into much detail, Kang did confirm that the plane was forced to return to the gate for a situation he referred to as a "customer disturbance on board." No charges were filed since Reid ultimately left the aircraft before things escalated to that level.

Tara Reid has refuted claims that she was ejected off the plane. Instead, she says she chose to leave. Reid did admit to being upset about not having a window seat, despite requesting one. Reid also shared that she was agitated after a passenger in front of her reclined their chair, which pushed back against her legs. However, Reid insists the real reason she voluntarily left was because the flight attendants refused to let her emotional support dog sit next to her, as explained in a now-deleted Instagram post.

"The flight attendant wanted me to put my dog in its carry-on and in the overhead bin, which was an absurd request considering animals cannot breathe in there. I gracefully declined and deboarded the plane on my own accord without any incident, and as you can see in the video, no disturbance took place," Reid shared with her fans, adding that she was able to board a new flight without further incident.

With the Delta debacle now behind her, Reid appears to be staying out of trouble. She continues to work in entertainment, though she made headlines in October 2023 for her abrupt exit from the military survival series "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test." She became the first celebrity in the reality show's history to quit the competition after having a meltdown over heavy equipment and back pain. Despite her fair share of drama, and even leaving Hollywood briefly, Reid is pushing forward.