Jason Derulo’s crew was kicked off a flight on Saturday after he and his bodyguard got into a verbal altercation with a Southwest Airlines employee, a source close to the singer confirms to PEOPLE.

The singer was traveling from Reno, Nevada, to Los Angeles when one of his team members was refused preferred boarding, TMZ first reported.

“His team requested an escort and were denied and they believed the were being treated unfairly,” the source tells PEOPLE. “When they voiced their concerns to the airline they were told they could not fly and proceeded on the plane anyway. At that point the Southwest agent called the authorities and removed them.”

Derulo himself was still permitted on the flight, but opted not to fly with the airline after the disagreement.

“Jason got off and they proceeded to get a private jet so that he would not miss his gig,” the source says. “He paid out of his own pocket.”