A Senate candidate in Colombia was dragged away from a Viva Air Colombia flight over carry on bag fees. She was outraged over being charged 150,000 pesos (US$39) to bring her bag aboard the ultra low cost carrier whose parent company is led by one of the founders of Ryanair.

In fact, she’s taken to social media to defend her position on carry on bag fees – and to suggest the airline had a responsibility to de-escalate the situation rather than having her dragged. Critics, though, denounce her for delaying the flight and all of the passengers headed from Simón Bolívar airport in Santa Marta to Medellin, Colombia on March 3.

De no creer. Este es el momento en el que a una ciudadana identificada como Yesenia Bedoya, se la llevaron esposada y a rastras por denunciar un abusivo cobro de la aerolínea Viva Air. Según denunció Bedoya, la aerolínea de bajo costo le cobró 150 mil pesos por llevar un carriel. pic.twitter.com/tZVUZmlT7y

— Última Hora Col (@ultimahorapp) March 7, 2022

Ms. Bedoya argues she “refused to pay” the carry on bag fee because “it is an abuse.” The Conservative Party candidate details the incident (in Spanish),

[T]hey sent me to the police, they took me, tied my hands and feet, handcuffed me, I have an injury to my left arm because of the force they exerted when transferring me.

…The abuse of airlines misleading passengers with false or misleading advertising is systematic and must be stopped.

She argues that instead of handcuffing her, police should have forced “the airline official to solve [her] problem.” And she states that she has no regrets, “does not retract or apologize for anything,” and is pursing a complaint for excessive force.

Desde ese video a esta hora, esta más hinchado.
Mañana voy a denunciar y pedir valoración por medicina legal pic.twitter.com/DrLQLihxGa

— Yesenia Bedoya Gallego (@YeseniaBedoyaGa) March 4, 2022

And she knows she’s the one that’s right because she’s flown with the same bag on the airline before without being charged. After the incident she was rebooked, and allowed to travel “without making additional charges or penalties,” which she infers means the airline knows she’s in the right as well.

Después de hacer público el abuso y mantenerme firme en mi reclamo, la aerolínea RECONOCIÓ SU ERROR y me ubicaron en el próximo vuelo a Medellin, en las mismas condiciones de vuelo: con un morral y mi carriel!
Esto hay que cambiarlo, no permitamos más el abuso a los pasajeros. pic.twitter.com/MEsanqA9O3

— Yesenia Bedoya Gallego (@YeseniaBedoyaGa) March 4, 2022