Colombian influencer Yeferson Cossio has been banned from flying with Avianca for one year following an incident where he deployed a stink bomb on a transatlantic flight. The airline announced the ban on Friday, stating that Cossio agreed to refrain from using their services until August 21, 2027.
Cossio, who boasts a combined 32 million followers on TikTok and Instagram, activated the stink bomb on March 11 during an Avianca flight from Bogotá, Colombia, to Madrid, Spain. The device emitted a foul odor throughout the aircraft cabin, disrupting passengers and crew. Following the incident, Avianca canceled Cossio's return flight upon arrival in Madrid and initiated legal proceedings.
As part of the resolution, Cossio issued an apology to Avianca and the flight crew, which the airline accepted. "It simply comes down to what I have said from the very beginning: offering an apology," Cossio stated. "Even though it wasn’t intentional, I messed up, and I will obviously refrain from using Avianca’s services for a year."
Cossio acknowledged that carrying a stink bomb on an airplane violated air safety regulations and expressed remorse for the concern and discomfort caused. "I understand the concern and discomfort it may have caused. I publicly reiterate my apologies to the airline, the crew, and anyone else who may have been affected," he said.
This incident follows a separate event a week prior, where Cossio delivered 40 tons of aid to victims of an earthquake in the Colombian department of Chocó. During this humanitarian effort, a police officer allowed him to hold her service rifle for a photo, which drew scrutiny and calls for an investigation from Bogotá congresswoman Claudia Romero Nader. Cossio responded to the criticism, accusing the congresswoman of diverting attention from the earthquake victims.