NOTE: This piece first appeared on FrankReport.com. The Unknown Podcast is also covering the Petra Starke story (IG: @petrasmeltzer).
By Frank Parlato with Michael Volpe and Richard Luthmann
Richard Luthmann has taken up the cause of Petra Starke, the woman with cancer who was ejected from a United Airlines Flight because she apparently offended a flight attendant who did not want to give up her seat, which he was using to charge his phone.
I have written about the story –
Petra vs. United: A Woman Fighting Cancer, Stranded by an Airline
How United Airlines Left a Cancer Patient Stranded, Sick, and Fighting for Her Life
Now, Luthmann, known for his dogged and aggressive style, is questioning the airline known for its slogan “fly the friendly skies with United.”
Luthmann wrote:
Dear United Airlines Media Relations Team,
We are investigative journalists writing regarding a distressing incident involving Instagram Influencer Petra Smeltzer Starke, as recently detailed in an August 26, 2025, article by Frank Parlato on FrankReport.com titled “Petra vs. United: A Woman Fighting Cancer, Stranded by an Airline.” We are joining in the investigative effort and would like your position/comments.
Key Facts:
Petra Smeltzer Starke, a cancer patient, attorney, and influencer with over a million followers, was traveling first-class (seat 1B) from Cabo to Newark, purchased by her sponsors for $1,600.
She had flown regularly on United since June 1 with no issues, but on August 10, at the gate in Los Cabos, she was asked to deplane due to an alleged “odor.”.
Despite disclosing her cancer treatment, United staff (including a gate agent, Sondra Vazquez) insisted she change clothes and then ultimately informed her that the captain had denied her boarding—citing odor—but refused to issue any official documentation.
Petra was left stranded in Mexico without wheelchair assistance, collapsed in the terminal, and eventually reached a hospital. She developed sepsis and required emergency care costing over $50,000, due to delays caused by the incident. Had she not been exited from the light, she would have arrived in New York for her scheduled appointment at Sloan Kettering.
Concerns Raised:
The extreme discretion afforded to crew can override compassion, even in medical emergencies.
The absence of any formal documentation contradicts standard protocol and leaves the passenger without recourse.
Denying boarding and stranding a passenger undergoing critical cancer treatment may have direct, life-threatening consequences.
Questions for United Airlines:
What protocols govern the removal of a passenger based on alleged odor or similar subjective criteria?
Can United confirm whether Captain Andrew McGee (as referenced in the article) made the decision to deny boarding, and why no formal statement was provided?
How does United accommodate passengers with significant medical needs—especially those not visibly impaired—when crew discretion is invoked?
Will United launch an investigation into the incident and implement training to prevent similar outcomes?
Given the seriousness of the health consequences suffered by Ms. Starke—and the absence of any documented justification—we urge United to address these questions promptly and to communicate clearly how such situations will be prevented in the future.
We appreciate your time and look forward to your prompt response.
Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Regards,
Richard Luthmann
Writer, Journalist, and Commentator
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richard.luthmann@protonmail.com
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Discussion on The Unknown Podcast
On The Unknown Podcast, Richard Luthmann and Michael Volpe dug into the shocking case of Petra, a lawyer, fitness influencer, wife, mother, and cancer patient who was stranded in Cabo San Lucas after United Airlines barred her from flying. Petra, with over 100,000 social media followers, was en route to Sloan Kettering in New York for critical treatment when a flight attendant claimed she had an “odor” and ordered her off the plane.
Luthmann called it an “outta control story,” slamming United’s union contract that gives flight attendants the power to remove passengers without captain oversight.
“The captain is no longer in charge of the plane,” he said. “These basic bitches that are in the flight attendants…get to decide who gets to stay on the plane or not under the new union contract with United.”
Petra’s ordeal escalated quickly. Instead of reaching Sloan Kettering, she ended up in a Mexican hospital with sepsis, facing $50,000 in medical bills. Luthmann emphasized the absurdity of letting flight attendants overrule medical urgency.
“Do you want the captain to be the decider, or some stewardess? I want the captain every time,” Luthmann said.
Volpe pressed the practical concerns, noting passenger comfort and health risks, but conceded the incident raised troubling questions.
“I don’t know how badly she smelled…if it’s perfume, it’s nothing,” he said.
Luthmann countered that the issue was factual and medical: “You weigh that against potential medical conditions and mitigating factors…You would try to get that person on that plane to save their life.”
Both hosts agreed that the case highlights a dangerous loophole in airline procedure. Luthmann revealed Petra has already lawyered up and that a 35-year retired U.S. Attorney may take the case, suggesting United faces significant legal exposure. He also credited journalist Frank Parlato for breaking the story and putting pressure on the airline.
