LOS ANGELES, May 25 – Pop star Britney Spears has addressed reports of a mid-flight smoking incident that prompted a police response upon her arrival in Los Angeles from Mexico.
The 43-year-old singer responded on Instagram after media reports claimed she smoked a cigarette and prompted flight attendants to alert authorities — saying she had mistakenly thought that it was allowed on the charter flight.
“Said I want a cigarette so bad !!! My friend put it in my mouth and lit it up for me so I was like OH SO THIS IS A PLANE WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE !!!” Spears wrote in a post dated May 23, accompanied by a video from the flight.
“I thought officials greeted me as support and I was like WOW I feel special !!! Am I famous or something ??? The flight attendant called officials because I smoked a cigarette !!!”
According to People magazine, the incident occurred on May 22 during a flight from Cabo San Lucas to Los Angeles with Spears’ security team.
Multiple sources told the outlet Spears lit a cigarette onboard but extinguished it when asked by the crew, and was met by authorities at Los Angeles International Airport, who issued her a warning.
Spears called the situation “actually incredibly funny” and remarked on the plane’s layout. saying, “Some planes I’ve been on you can’t smoke mostly but this one was different because the drink holders were on outside of seat !!!”
She also claimed it was her first time drinking vodka and concluded her post with an apology: “I do so apologize to anyone I offended, but the flight attendants always make sure I’m way at the back of plane anyways.”
The singer, known for hits like “Oops!… I Did It Again,” has largely stayed out of the public eye, despite regularly posting dance videos on social media.
Her low profile has continued since the end of her 13-year conservatorship in 2021, which had long controlled many aspects of her personal and professional life.