Colombian influencer Yeferson Cossio has agreed to a one-year ban from Avianca after settling the legal dispute over his mid-flight stink bomb incident.
The 30-year-old content creator, who commands more than 12 million Instagram followers and roughly 19 million on TikTok, accepted the suspension through August 21, 2027, the South American airline announced Friday. Cossio, who is known for prank-driven content, had faced terminated travel privileges and a lawsuit after activating a chemical odor device aboard flight AV46 on March 11.
“Mr. Yeferson Cossio agreed to refrain from using Avianca’s services until August 21, 2027,” the Colombian flagship carrier said in a statement. “He also apologized to Avianca S.A. And the crew of flight AV46 for his behavior; these apologies were accepted as part of the restorative process conducted between the parties.”
The agreement came after months of back-and-forth between Cossio’s legal team and the airline. Cossio said in an Instagram Stories video that negotiations had stalled until Thursday, when both parties met in Bogotá to finalize terms. “It simply comes down to what I have said from the very beginning: offering an apology,” he said. “Even though it wasn’t intentional, I messed up, and I will obviously refrain from using Avianca’s services for a year.”
Cossio acknowledged that carrying the device violated air safety regulations. “I understand the concern and discomfort it may have caused. I publicly reiterate my apologies to the airline, the crew, and anyone else who may have been affected,” he said.
The influencer had initially pushed back against the airline’s account. In an early Instagram Stories reaction to news reports, he wrote: “¿Ah, cómo asÃ, yo por aquà apenas despertándome y ya me inventaron mero chisme? Vea qué bueno.” On YouTube, he later claimed the incident was accidental, saying a “little bag of ‘chemical fart'” burst in his carry-on when he reached for a pencil case. “That’s my job: I make pranks,” he explained in the video. “With or without intention, I made a mistake. The little bag burst, that’s it. I’m only saying it’s not as serious as they’re making it out to be.”
Avianca had taken a far graver view of the episode. The airline emphasized that the aircraft was a closed, pressurized environment with recirculated air, and that the flight was over the Atlantic Ocean — far from any diversion airport — when the odor spread. Several passengers reportedly complained of discomfort, and crew members followed safety protocols for unknown substances.
In its original statement, Avianca said it “categorically rejects any behavior that puts the safety of its operation at risk or compromises the onboard experience of customers and service personnel.” The carrier also called on Colombian lawmakers to advance Bill 153 of 2025, legislation that would stiffen penalties against disruptive passengers and bolster protections for aviation crews.
In the viral moment that triggered the dispute, Cossio was traveling on the Bogotá-to-Madrid route when he deployed the odor-generating device mid-flight, generating a foul smell throughout the cabin. The airline canceled his return ticket upon arrival in Spain and initiated legal proceedings, citing provisions in its contract of carriage covering safety, comfort, order, discipline, and sanitation. The incident drew broad coverage in Colombian media and reignited debate over influencer accountability, particularly as Cossio’s content has historically included similar odor-based gags aimed at friends and collaborators.
The settlement arrives as Cossio remains in the public eye for unrelated reasons. Just last week, the influencer drew criticism after delivering 40 tons of aid to victims of the Aug. 10 earthquake in Colombia’s Chocó department, where a National Police officer posed with him and allowed him to hold her service rifle. Bogotá congresswoman Claudia Romero Nader called for an investigation, prompting an angry response from Cossio. “Why the hell — in the middle of such a f–king awful situation — would you go and divert attention to that crap?” He said. “Especially in a country as sensationalist as the one we live in.”
Avianca has not indicated whether its separate lawsuit against Cossio will proceed independently of the travel ban agreement.