A disturbing incident occurred on an American Airlines flight on Thursday, as a passenger attempted to storm the cockpit before being tackled by a flight attendant. A dramatic video, posted to social media, captures the moment the woman was subdued.
The footage shows the woman surrounded by flight attendants as the cockpit door opens. A male flight attendant quickly intervenes, tackling her to the ground to prevent her from entering the restricted area.
According to aviation publication Aeroin, the woman reportedly became violent, threatening to “kick the flight attendants in the balls” during the altercation.
The disturbance resulted in the removal of at least two passengers from the flight. The airline has yet to comment on whether charges will be filed against those involved.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the growing number of passenger disruptions on commercial flights, reports the Mirror.
The situation began to escalate when a man in first class stood up, barefoot, and began yelling at flight attendants in Portuguese. As crew members attempted to calm the initial female passenger, she too became agitated, demanding to know the cause of the flight’s delay.
While being escorted towards the rear of the plane, the woman engaged in a heated shouting match with the barefoot man.
“You son of a b**ch, disgusting, you can’t touch me, you don’t know who you’re talking to, you’re going to get screwed. I went to ask why I was late and this [man] threw me out,” she reportedly shouted, according to Aeroin.
Another male flight attendant stepped in to calm the situation, and the disruptive male passenger was subsequently removed from the plane, as confirmed by aviation news source Aeroin.
The already delayed flight faced additional setbacks as it had to return to the gate while the crew managed the escalated situation on board.
The turmoil caused the aircraft, bound for New York City from São Paulo, to experience more hold-ups, requiring it to taxi back to the gate to offload the problematic passengers.
Aeroin reported that the aircraft eventually departed two hours and 25 minutes behind its planned take-off time.
American Airlines issued an official response regarding the plane’s unexpected detour back to the gate, stating: “The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority and we thank everyone for their understanding.”
This incident comes on the heels of another disturbing event earlier in the month, where a father aggressively confronted a flight attendant trying to breach the cockpit on an American Airlines service from New York to Milan.
Passenger Krystie Tomlinson shared with CBS News:”The whole thing started because of a meal choice they didn’t get.”
She described that the unruly passenger had pre-ordered a particular meal and also insisted on occupying an exit row seat as he was accompanied by a baby.
These successive incidents have intensified worries regarding passenger conduct and the enforcement of safety measures on international long-distance flights.
A witness has reported that a passenger became unruly after two specific requests were denied – a particular meal and an exit row seat. “Those two things are what pushed the person over the edge,” they said.
Another traveller, Michael Scigliano, expressed concern about the lack of an air marshal on board, which heightened the tension. He recounted the moment the pilot informed passengers of the return to JFK Airport: “We’re left with this crazy man in the plane, unprotected and unrestrained.”
The flight was ultimately redirected back to JFK Airport, where authorities escorted the disruptive individual off the aircraft. There have been no criminal charges filed following the incident.