Tiffany Gomas, the American Airlines passenger known for her viral 'not real' outburst, says it was caused by an 'altercation' with another passenger

04.11.2023 - 16:59 / insider.com / Tiffany Gomas

Tiffany Gomas, the woman behind the viral TikTok video that had everyone talking this summer, is sharing her side of the story.

In the video, which was uploaded by user @knuckleslawncare on July 2 and has 18.3 million views, Gomas is seen storming to the front of the plane, pointing at another passenger, and saying: "That motherfucker back there is not real." The footage was taken on an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Orlando. 

Her "not real" accusation became the most cited — and most mysterious — quote from the outburst. On Friday, Gomas appeared on Barstool Sports' "Pardon My Take" podcast and said the rant stemmed from an "altercation" with another passenger that "spiraled out of control."

The podcast's hosts, Big Cat & PFT Commenter, asked Gomas what she saw that made her believe the other passenger wasn't real.

"You know, the reason I probably haven't come out yet, 'cause it's like so cringe — I did not see anything," Gomas said. She said the comment came at the tail end of an argument with another passenger and that she was using it as "an expression of speech."

Gomas said the "altercation" arose after she gave up her aisle seat for another passenger, taking the middle seat instead. She repeatedly told the hosts she wouldn't get into "all the details" but shared there was "really bad energy." 

A police report obtained by Fox Business in August said Gomas argued with a relative over her AirPods.

"It was not my best moment," Gomas said in the podcast. "I mean, it was actually a horrible moment. It's absolutely mortifying."

While Gomas took to social media in August to address her outburst, calling it her "very worst moment," her interview with "Pardon My Take" is the most she's divulged about the incident. 

In August, the New York Post obtained police bodycam footage from the incident. The videos show that after Gomas deboarded the plane, she continued saying the flight would not reach its final destination.

"Do not let that flight leave. I'm being dead serious. Do not let that flight leave," Gomas says as police attempt to escort her away from the terminal. "That flight is not going to make it to Orlando. It's not going to."

The video shows that while walking out of the terminal, ahead of the police, Gomas asks if she can leave on her own instead of being escorted out by authorities.

"Y'all need to escort me out…really," Gomas said. "Until you see this flight fucking blow up."

Fox Business reported that Gomas tried to sneak back through security after she left the terminal and that she succeeded once. According to the New York Post, Gomas was given a criminal trespass notice for disrupting the flight but wasn't taken into police custody.