Passenger removed from a flight for refusing to wear face mask

Tension over wearing face masks led to a passenger's removal from an American Airlines flight Wednesday as airlines enforce stricter safety measures. Passenger Brandon Straka was asked to get off a flight from New York to Dallas after he refused to wear a face covering as required by American Airlines policy, the airline confirmed. This is the first known incident of this type since the airlines announced plans to more strictly enforce mask wearing. Wearing face coverings on planes is not mandated by law, but airlines have instituted their own mask requirements for crew and passengers. This week, several major US carriers, including American Airlines, pledged that they will take a harder line on enforcing their policies. American Airlines confirmed the incident aboard Flight 1263 from New York's LaGuardia to Dallas/Fort Worth, saying that Straka declined to wear a face covering. "After he refused to comply with the instructions provided by the flight crew, our team members asked him to deplane. He deplaned and the flight departed the gate four minutes late at 12:34 p.m. ET," the airline said. Straka was rebooked on a later flight after he agreed to comply with company policies, the airline said, and American is reaching out to him for more information on the incident. <br/>