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Actor Alec Baldwin says he was kicked off a plane for playing a popular online game before the flight took off.

The 30 Rock star says he was asked to leave a Los Angeles-New York American Airlines flight for playing Words with Friends, a mobile word game.

Mr Baldwin to complain, saying an attendant "reamed me out" for playing the game.

American Airlines responded that "an extremely vocal customer" took his phone into the bathroom.

"This passenger declined to turn off his cell phone when asked to do so at the appropriate time," the statement read. "The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seat belt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane's lavatory."

According to the airline, the cockpit crew heard the bathroom door slam and asked flight attendants to check the situation.

The customer was "extremely rude to the crew, calling them inappropriate names and using offensive language," the airline said.

Air passengers are regularly told to shut down smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices before take-off and landing.

Another passenger on the flight, former MTV Networks chief Michael J Wolf, first revealed that the film and TV star was in trouble.

"On an AA flight at LAX. Alec Baldwin removed from the plane. We had to go back to the gate. Terrible that everyone had to wait."

It did not appear that Mr Wolf was removed for using his mobile phone.

An American Airlines spokesman initially declined to comment on Mr Baldwin's removal, citing customer privacy.

An apparently indignant Mr Baldwin tweeted that he might switch his allegiance to United Airlines, saying #theresalwaysunited, but soon confirmed he had boarded another American Airlines flight.

The airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.