E! News
Britney Spears Lights Cigarette Mid-Flight, Blames Vodka and Laughs Off Federal Warning
Britney Spears is once again at the centre of controversy after reportedly lighting a cigarette during a commercial flight from Cabo San Lucas to Los Angeles. The 43-year-old pop icon addressed the incident in a characteristically quirky Instagram post, blaming her actions on her first experience drinking vodka.
According to reports, Britney Spears was approached by flight attendants shortly after lighting up in the cabin. Though she complied when asked to extinguish the cigarette, sources described her behaviour as “difficult.” Upon landing, authorities met the flight and issued a formal warning — a violation of federal aviation regulations.
“This is not her first warning,” a source told People, suggesting a pattern of noncompliance. “She doesn’t exactly follow the rules.”
“It Was My First Time Drinking VODKA”
In a now-viral Instagram post shared with her 41.8 million followers, the Toxic singer framed the ordeal as a lighthearted misunderstanding, fueled by her first sip of vodka.
“Confession: it was my first time drinking VODKA!!! I swear I felt so SMART,” Spears wrote. “I was like, wow, what the heck is in there!!! I felt so clear and smart!!!”
Britney Spears claimed a friend placed a cigarette in her mouth and lit it, leading her to assume it was allowed on the flight.
“So I was like OH SO THIS IS A PLANE WHERE YOU CAN SMOKE!!!” she added with her signature stream-of-consciousness humor.
Flight Attendants Call Authorities — Britney Feels “Special”
Britney Spears continued by offering an apology “to anyone I offended,” but also took a dig at the flight staff.
“The flight attendants always make sure I’m way at the back of the plane anyway,” she wrote, downplaying the seriousness of the federal violation.
When she was met by officials upon landing, Spears said she thought it was a celebrity welcome.
“I was like WOW I feel special!!! I’ve never been to an international airport,” she joked, adding laugh-cry emojis. “Am I famous or something???”
View this post on Instagram
Behind the Humor: Concerns About Britney’s Behavior
While Spears’ fans were divided between laughing and cringing, insiders close to the singer are expressing growing concern. Since the termination of her 13-year conservatorship in 2021, Britney has regained her independence but also exhibited behaviour that has alarmed friends and family.
“The judge went so Hollywood, ignoring all of the medical reports,” one insider told TMZ, criticising the court’s decision to end the conservatorship.
From Memoir to Musical: Britney’s Next Chapter
Despite the incident, Spears continues to expand her post-conservatorship career. Following the success of her memoir, “The Woman in Me,” Universal Pictures has announced a musical biopic about her life, to be directed by the filmmaker behind “Wicked,“ Jon M. Chu.
Britney Spears herself shared the news on X about The Woman in Me, Universal Pictures’ musical biopic, writing, “Excited to share with my fans that I’ve been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt.”
Whether lighting up on planes or lighting up stages, Britney Spears remains a headline magnet — and she’s not putting out the fire anytime soon.