Comedian Guy Branum alleges Delta passenger elbowed him for being 'too fat' to sit next to him

Comedian Guy Branum says he was elbowed by a fellow passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight after the man complained about not having enough space, Branum wrote in an Instagram video posted on Sept. 14. The Emmy-winning actor, 49, said he was in a middle seat on a Comfort Plus ticket when the other passenger sat down and immediately confronted him, later allegedly elbowing him and telling him he was “too fat” to fly. Branum labeled the clip “Flying While Fat” and showed bruises he said resulted from the incident.

Branum described the flight dynamics as he recalls them in the video: a White man in his sixties sat next to him and first appeared upset with a woman in the aisle over overhead-bin space, then turned on Branum once seated. Branum recounted that the man asked him to move, Branum refused, and the next moment, the man elbowed him “as hard as he could.” The video cuts to Branum seated next to the man, who reportedly quipped about being too fat to sit there. Branum asked the man if he would be happy if Branum elbowed him back, and the man replied, “Well, who wouldn’t believe that?” Branum pressed for a shared armrest, noting that neither man was using it, but the man insisted he paid for the seat too.

The altercation escalated over space and weight. Branum says the other passenger implied Branum should lose weight, and there was a back-and-forth about Branum’s appearance. After the exchange, Branum says the man later claimed to be a WeightWatchers member and suggested Branum should have tried to lose weight in a shorter timeframe. The two argued as the plane traveled, then the man switched seats with a woman across the aisle. Branum said Delta staff observed the exchange and that a senior crew member told the man Branum would not be removed from the flight.

Midway through the episode, Branum notes that the woman who ultimately sat beside him was “so nice,” and he said Delta offered the woman frequent-flier miles as compensation for the seat change. Branum, however, asked for miles himself and said staff told him to delete the video, a request he refused. He added that other passengers supported him, telling staff the man had behaved poorly with others on the flight. Branum also reiterated a broader stance that “fat people shouldn’t be waiting for some future moment when we’ll be worthy of traveling and living our lives.”

Delta Air Lines was contacted for comment, but Fox News Digital did not receive a statement at the time of publication. Branum later told TMZ that he planned to file a police report and pursue a civil lawsuit against the man, arguing that no traveler should be subjected to physical contact because of size or appearance. He said the alleged injuries included visible bruising and that he would seek remedies through legal channels. Branum also indicated he had been in contact with Delta representatives about the incident.

The episode comes amid ongoing discussions in entertainment circles about travel experiences for plus-size passengers and the treatment of individuals who speak publicly about discomfort or discrimination on flights. Branum, known for roles in television and film and for his appearances as a comedian, has used his platform to critique social norms around body image and travel access. The incident was first shared publicly by Branum on social media, and his comments have drawn attention from fans and fellow entertainers alike, who have debated issues of space, respect, and airline policy in shared public spaces.

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The broader conversation surrounding Branum’s claim focuses on how airlines handle cases involving passenger space and capacity, and whether crew actions align with safety and customer-service policies. Delta has not publicly detailed a formal response in this account, and travelers and advocacy groups continue to call for clear guidance on how to manage disputes over seat size and comfort. As Branum pursues civil action, observers will wait to see how the airline responds and whether other passengers who witnessed the exchange come forward with corroborating details.

For now, Branum’s account stands as a personal testimony of a tense moment aboard a commercial flight, raising questions about seating etiquette, personal boundaries, and the ways in which weight and appearance can influence perceptions and treatment in air travel. The case, if pursued in court, could add to the ongoing national discussion about inclusivity, safety, and accountability in the airline industry.

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