Britney Spears was reportedly warned by authorities after an incident on a private JSX jet Thursday, in which the singer allegedly drank alcohol and lit a cigarette mid-flight, prompting concern among flight crew and raising renewed questions about her post-conservatorship stability.
According to reports from TMZ and Daily Mail, the 43-year-old pop icon was flying from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to Los Angeles International Airport when she pulled out a cigarette and began smoking in the cabin. Flight attendants on the JSX-operated flight, which bans smoking even on private charters, were said to be "alarmed" and ordered Spears to extinguish the cigarette, which she did.
Upon landing at LAX, Spears was met by authorities and issued a formal warning over her behavior, though no arrest was made. The Los Angeles Airport Police said they did not respond to the incident, with reports indicating that the warning may have come from Customs officials. A spokesperson for JSX declined to comment on the situation, stating only, "We have no comment regarding the alleged events described."
The incident follows a December episode in which Spears was seen boarding a plane with a grill lighter, raising similar safety concerns. While small, standard cigarette lighters are generally permitted on flights, torch-style lighters or those with a large flame are prohibited under TSA regulations. Spears has previously acknowledged fire-related accidents, including one in 2020 where she burned down her home gym, and another earlier this year when she burned her eyebrows and eyelashes trying to start a fireplace.
Spears has remained largely outside the public eye since the termination of her 13-year conservatorship in 2021 but continues to make headlines through social media posts and occasional controversies. In recent months, she posted videos from what appeared to be a tropical vacation, dancing alone in brief, caption-less clips with comments turned off. One source told Us Weekly in May 2024 that Spears considers her dance videos a form of "work" that helps keep her "entertained."
The latest incident comes amid an ongoing period of personal flux. Spears recently reconnected with her younger son Jayden, 18, after a long estrangement. "Britney was very excited to hear from him; [it] means everything to her," a source told Us Weekly last year. She shares Jayden and Preston, 19, with ex-husband Kevin Federline.
Friends describe Spears as living a mostly quiet life in Los Angeles, surrounded by a small, rotating group of confidants. However, insiders have expressed concern about her unpredictable emotional state. "[She's either] on top of the world happy or crying because of a paparazzi photo," one person said.
Meanwhile, her former husband Sam Asghari, from whom she split in 2023, recently made headlines after criticizing their relationship as "Hollywood" while praising his new partner, Brooke Irvine. "It's about what really is the most important thing, and that's being present, being in the moment," Asghari said during a red carpet event in Mexico last month.
