Mohawk Air Canada flight attendant shares details of unforgettable encounter with Rihanna
Air Canada flight attendant Lily Kahnerahtiio Dailleboust is a big Rihanna fan. So much so that when she visited the singer’s hometown, Barbados, last year, she made sure to include Rihanna’s childhood home (which is an official tourist attraction) in her itinerary.
So, it’s almost like Dailleboust manifested her meeting with the multihyphenate on June 1, when Rihanna just happened to be flying from Toronto to Montreal on the Air Canada Express flight she was servicing.
In an interview with Daily Hive, Dailleboust, who hails from Kahnawà:ke, a Mohawk First Nation community in Quebec, shared that the airline tells flight attendants ahead of time if a VIP is coming on board the flight to make sure that their privacy is respected and that service is top-notch. That day, it was going to be Rihanna.
“I was just really excited. It was nice to have somebody of her fame, and just to be able to interact with her on that level,” she said.
And the interaction ended up being quite meaningful and intimate.
A special gift for Rihanna
Dailleboust recalled Rihanna boarding last with her bodyguard and makeup artist. She said they accommodated the “We Found Love” singer in the crew seats in the back of the aircraft so she could have privacy.
She introduced herself as their flight attendant and went on with business as usual, offering them water, doing the safety demo and prepping for cabin takeoff.
Dailleboust re-introduced herself once the flight attendants were released from their seats after take-off and asked Rihanna’s bodyguard if she could give her a gift.
“[Rihanna] was like ‘Yeah, of course, I would love to have something from you,'” she recounted.
The flight attendant gifted the mogul her personal keychain, a beaded lanyard from a local artisan shop called Traditions in her hometown.
Lily Kahnerahtiio Dailleboust/Facebook
“It represents Iroquoian beadwork — my culture and my history. I gave it to her, and she was more than happy with it. She’s like, ‘This is so beautiful.’ She put it on her purse right away!” Dailleboust told Daily Hive.
She recalled the vibe of Rihanna’s group being very high energy and excited because they were getting ready for the singer’s husband, A$AP Rocky’s, concert in Montreal.
“She just said that she really appreciated what I gave her. She was really grateful for us treating her really well,” said Dailleboust. “She’s like, ‘If you want any autographs or if you want to take photos, I’m more than happy to do it for you.'”
“Like hanging out with one of your best friends”
According to the flight attendant, Rihanna also asked to do a video with her, which ended up going viral after she posted it on social media.
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“This sweet lady gifted me with something very special that I would never forget, and that I would never lose. Thank you so much,” the Ocean’s 8 star said in the video.
Rihanna goes on to tell Dailleboust to introduce herself, and asks the flight attendant to teach her how to say thank you in her language.
“So, in our language, we say ‘Niá:wen,’ which means ‘thank you,'” explained Dailleboust.
“Niá:wen — I said it right?” the star asked. “Yeah, you did!” the flight attendant answered.
Dailleboust told Daily Hive that the celebrity was “very down to earth.”
“The best way I could describe it is just like hanging out with one of your best friends… it was really low key,” she said.
She even told Rihanna about when she visited the singer’s childhood home in Barbados. The flight attendant also got a luggage tag signed and took a bunch of photos with the star.
Dailleboust in Barbados at Rihanna’s childhood home. (Supplied)
A meaningful exchange
Dailleboust said the exchange meant a lot to her as a fan.
“I love Rihanna’s music, and who she is as well. You know, she does a lot of good,” the flight attendant explained. “She really is at the forefront of being an activist for women’s rights, for empowerment, for education.”
She added that it was also a big deal for her family, friends, and the Mohawk community. “They love that I represent my community, and that I bring awareness to our culture.”
Dailleboust said the past few days have been overwhelming for her as she rides the video’s viral wave.
“I’m happy to share how really, truly of a gem that she is. My experience was phenomenal. I wish everybody could meet Rihanna,” she said with a laugh.
The flight attendant has worked with Air Canada for four and a half years. She said she’s had other VIPs on flights, including Justin Bieber and Simu Liu, but Rihanna was the most open interaction she’s had so far.