A Delta flight leaving Florida was overtaken by a dramatic altercation between a flight attendant and a woman who struck her in the face.
A passenger reportedly wearing her mask incorrectly was seen in video footage from the Delta flight on Monday as she got into a heated confrontation with an employee that turned physical. The woman and another passenger were removed from the plane before takeoff after the incident which was captured on more than one video.
Passengers on the Delta flight to Atlanta from Miami on Monday witnessed the escalating scene as a woman who was not properly wearing her protective face mask got into an argument with the flight attendant. BBC journalist Suzanne Kianpour reposted video that showed the angry passenger from behind as she argued with the Delta employee.
“She’s in her face. Oh lord, oh lord,” another passenger was heard on the video clip as the arguing woman lunged toward the flight attendant.
Here’s what happened on our @delta flight from #Miami to #Atlanta tonight after a passenger refused to wear a mask as per policy and then gets into altercation with flight attendant. Video via @kingcoreythefirst on IG pic.twitter.com/TBBYq1VCBb
— Suzanne Kianpour (@KianpourWorld) October 20, 2020
Although the words between the two women were not clearly audible in the video, the chatter from passengers appeared to grow louder just before the irate woman struck the Delta attendant in the face.
“No!” a woman could be heard yelling as the scene unfolded, grabbing the attention of others in the plane’s cabin. “You can’t be hitting a flight attendant!”
Been stuck on the tarmac in #Miami heading to #Atlanta as we continue on the #Elections2020 campaign trail. A passenger on this @Delta flight refuses policy to wear mask. Then won’t get off plane. Then hits flight attendant. Announcement that Miami Dade police on their way.
— Suzanne Kianpour (@KianpourWorld) October 20, 2020
Another video captured by a passenger who was closer to the scene showed the moment the woman, with a man at her back, struck the flight attendant.
“You shouldn’t have touched me. You pushed me,” the woman was heard saying as her male travel companion pointed his finger in the employee’s face and others intervened.
“All I want to do is get home at this point!” frustrated passenger Lauryn England, who posted the other video on Instagram, wrote, giving some more insight to what may have transpired.
“How you mad cause your boyfriend caused the WHOLE flight to be turned around & delayed cause he don’t want to put his seat belt on? and they been asking y’all to get off the flight for the past hour. ( then had the nerve to say they fly 1st class flights,” England wrote.
“Why get on the plane in the first place if you’re going to refuse to follow the safety rules?” BBC reporter Katty Kay, also on the same flight, tweeted. “Would he also refuse to wear a seatbelt? Or start smoking on board? ”
Why get on the plane in the first place if you’re going to refuse to follow the safety rules? Would he also refuse to wear a seatbelt? Or start smoking on board? #DL1997 #campaign2020
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
Kay recounted the series of events on Twitter as tensions mounted while the flight became more delayed.
Flying (trying to fly) Delta from Miami to Atlanta and just been told we are returning to the gate because a passenger refuses to wear a mask…
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
Plane is already 3 hours late…now we will be later still…
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
“Delta handling this very responsibly,” she wrote on Twitter, adding that police had boarded the plane at the Miami airport and Delta flight attendants “handled it with remarkable patience and good humor.”
So, Miami police had to board this flight before someone who refused to wear a mask for a 1 hour 45 minute flight would get off the plane so we can push back out and take off, 3 hours late. Poor flight crew. 2020 really sucks. What are we becoming?
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
“This is insane. The flight attendent (sic) got shoved by one of the passengers who refused to wear masks or leave the plane. And – 4 hours late – they are still cheerful. Mine is running thin but this @delta flight crew has a lot of patience!” Kay added in another tweet along with the video of the incident.
Miami-Dade Police reportedly said no arrests were made in the incident, according to the New York Post.
“There is nothing more important than the safety of our people and customers,” Delta said in a statement. “That’s why two customers who did not comply with crew safety instructions were asked to deplane Flight 1997 this evening [sic]. ”
“We do not tolerate violence of any kind and this situation is currently under investigation. We apologize to customers for the flight delay this caused,” the company added.
Captain just announced the passengers wouldn’t leave the jetway after leaving the plane so that’s why it took another hour before we could push back. Says he’s never seen anything like it in 33 years of flying!
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
They praise for the handling of the situation by Delta and its employees was praised by the passengers.
Thank you @delta for depositing a chunk of miles into my account for the flight delay last night that was not your fault. And this is why I’m loyal #teamdelta all the way. https://t.co/b4yrtzdciD
— Suzanne Kianpour (@KianpourWorld) October 20, 2020
Got to Georgia at 2am. Poor flight crew. Added 4 hours to their shift. https://t.co/xhVIVuGc5U
— Katty Kay (@KattyKay_) October 20, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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