American Airlines apologized to a woman who was told to cover her sweatshirt that said “fuck cancer” before boarding the plane.
“Wow... @americanair Let me apologize to you publicly for having such a strong stance on Cancer,” Roslyn Singleton, a two-time cancer survivor, posted on her Instagram about the incident.
The airline said in a statement to The Charlotte Observer that the company does have a policy that “prohibit[s] clothing that displays offensive statements and inappropriate language from being worn on board” but the employees “should have taken the broader context of the message displayed on the customer’s shirt into consideration when explaining our policies.”
“Our team has reached out to learn more about Ms. Singleton’s experience, offer our apologies and reaffirm our support for efforts to fight cancer,” the company added.
Singleton and her husband gained publicity when they appeared on “The Ellen Show” last year after he serenaded her on a segment titled “Ellen Meets Uplifting Husband and His Inspiring Wife Battling Cancer,” The Charlotte Observer reported.
The couple was taking a flight from Los Angeles to Charlotte when the situation arose.
Singleton said that after she covered her sweatshirt with a jacket because she didn’t want any problems, another American Airlines employee went up to her and said “I was made aware there was an issue.”
Singleton is an eight-year Navy veteran and fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to a statement from her lawyer.
The Hill has reached out to American Airlines for comment.
This article originally appeared on The Hill