The couple arrested at Miami International Airport on suspicion of throwing coffee in the faces of airport workers said they were flying to Mexico to celebrate their holidays.
“No one threw coffee. The coffee fell,” said Brazilian doctor Beatrice Lapoport de Campos Maia, 29. CBS News Miami Fracus on Sunday with American Airlines staff.
“The woman who said I threw it was a liar. She just fell on the floor.”
Her love of Rafael Seirafe Novers, filmed by security, refused to throw coffee and tried to rush for a connecting flight to a festive holiday in Cancun, claiming he was unfairly hurtful in a skirmish.
“No, no. I'm not crazy. We don't throw coffee. Coffee, I drink it,” the 41-year-old said.
“I got this from Polycia from the carpet,” he said. “They said I resisted.”
Maia said they are in a hurry to make a second connected flight for what appears to be a recent engagement celebration.
“We lost our trip to Cancun. We were just engaged and what happened is a bad thing,” she said.
“We were going to do Cancun to enjoy the holiday, all inclusive hotel. We've already paid the hotel. Lots of money. And we couldn't do that,” she said.
Authorities said one of the pair who threw coffee in the face of American Airlines employees was called to a planned flight for a sheriff's deputy.
De Campos Maia and Seirafe-Novaes were charged with battery and trespassing after allegedly ignoring a “failure” sign on the jet bridge while trying to board the flight.
Seirafe-Novaes is also facing accusations of resisting arrest without violence.
American Airlines told the outlet: “The violence has not been tolerated by American Airlines and we are committed to working closely with law enforcement in the investigation.”
The couple, an advantage of American Airlines' Platinum Pro members, said they are not sure if they will still be trying to visit Cancun.
