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Los Angeles - American Airlines slammed Alec Baldwin as "extremely rude" on Wednesday after the US actor took to his Twitter account to complain about having been thrown off a flight.
The 30 Rock star was ordered off the flight for after refusing to turn off his cellphone as the plane was preparing to leave Los Angeles airport on Tuesday, and said afterwards he would never use American again.
In a series of tweets - which were later unavailable as Baldwin had deactivated his Twitter account - he said he was playing a popular smartphone game when he was told off.
"Flight attendant on American reamed me out 4 playing WORDS W FRIENDS while we sat at the gate, not moving," Baldwin tweeted.
But in a statement emailed to AFP on Wednesday, American Airlines retorted, saying Baldwin had ignored a request to turn off his phone - and stormed off to the lavatory, slamming the door shut and alarming the pilots.
Offensive language
"Since an extremely vocal customer has publicly identified himself as being removed from an American Airlines flight... we have elected to provide the actual facts of the matter," it said.
Recalling the rule that cellphones and electronic devices must be turned off when the plane doors are closed and seatbelt lights on, it continued: "This passenger declined to turn off his cellphone when asked to do so.
"The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seatbelt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane's lavatory.
"He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked. They immediately contacted the cabin crew to check on the situation.
"The passenger was extremely rude to the crew, calling them inappropriate names and using offensive language. Given the facts above, the passenger was removed from the flight and denied boarding."
There was no immediate comment from Baldwin's publicist, and his Twitter account said, simply, "Deactivated".
