Colombian influencer Yeferson Cossio has been banned from flying with Avianca for a year after setting off a stink bomb during a transatlantic flight.
The punishment follows an incident aboard flight AV46 from Bogotá to Madrid on March 11, 2026.
Cossio, who has 12.2M followers on Instagram and nearly 20M on TikTok, activated a prohibited chemical device while the aircraft was flying over the Atlantic Ocean, filling the cabin with a foul odor and causing discomfort for passengers and crew.
Although the incident did not cause a critical emergency, Avianca said the plane was far from alternative airports at the time. The airline canceled Cossio’s return flight and launched legal action.
Airline bans influencer for a year after stink bomb incident
On August 21, Avianca announced that the case had concluded through a restorative justice agreement.
Under the agreement, Cossio cannot use Avianca’s services until August 21, 2027. He also apologized to the airline and the crew of flight AV46 while accepting commitments intended to prevent another incident.
Instagram/yefersoncossio“It simply comes down to what I have said from the very beginning: offering an apology,” Cossio said, according to the New York Post.
“Even though it wasn’t intentional, I messed up, and I will obviously refrain from using Avianca’s services for a year.”
Yeferson Cossio faces backlash for dancing with cop’s gun
The airline ban comes during a turbulent month for Cossio.
Colombian gambling regulator Coljuegos recently fined the influencer COP 116 million, approximately $37,900, over an unauthorized promotional game marketed through Instagram.
The ruling also prevents him from operating games of chance for five years once the decision becomes final. Cossio can appeal the sanction.
He was also denounced after footage showed him handling a police rifle during a visit to Colombia’s Chocó region, where his initiative delivered 40 tons of aid to earthquake victims.
Cossio was filmed dancing with the weapon before returning it to an officer. His team said he had permission and that nobody was placed at risk, although it acknowledged that an institutional firearm should not have been handed to a civilian.
House Representative Claudia Romero Nader said she filed a criminal complaint against Cossio with the Attorney General’s Office and alerted the Ministry of Defense, National Police, Inspector General’s Office, Ombudsman’s Office, and UN Verification Mission.
The plane incident adds to a growing list of influencer airline controversies, including a creator who claimed she was stopped from boarding for “looking naked”, another who was slammed for exercising in a plane aisle, and ‘Looksmaxxing’ streamer Androgenic who was removed after becoming ill following facial surgery.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
