Ryanair passenger who launched ‘racist’ rant at elderly black woman says he isn’t racist

David Mesher's apology has not been accepted by the woman he racially abused

The man filmed shouting at an elderly black woman who sat next to him on a Ryanair flight, calling her "a stupid ugly cow" and an "ugly black bastard", has claimed that he isn't a racist during a TV appearance. Delsie Gayle, 77, attempted to take his seat on a flight from Stansted to Barcelona on 19 October, only to be racially abused in an incident that was filmed by a fellow passenger and uploaded to social media. Mesher appeared on Good Morning Britain on Friday to explain his actions and defend himself from the accusation he is racist. https://twitter.com/GMB/status/1055736551219646464 "I probably lost my temper a bit and ordered her to get up," he said. "I am not a racist person by any means and it was just a fit of temper at the time, I think. "I apologise for all the distress you've had there and since. "I said I’ve got to get to the window seat and there didn’t seem to be any response. Then I asked her again, I said I have to get to the window seat and she didn’t seem to want to get up, or she didn’t seem to. "Then I probably lost my temper a bit and I ordered her to get up." Eventually, Mrs Gayle, 77, was moved to another seat as flight attendants and passengers intervened, following which, Mesher was heard telling a steward: "I'm alright now she's gone." Ryanair later confirmed the incident had been reported to the police. Responding on Friday morning, Gayle dismissed Mr Mesher's apology. Asked if she would accept his explanation, the 77-year-old told This Morning: "I don't think so." "You must forget and forgive but it's going to take a long time for me to get over what he has done to me," she said. Carol Gayle accompanied her mother on the show and added: "He says he wasn't racist, he wouldn't be saying words like that if he wasn't racist. "I don’t think he knows what he has put my mum through."