Four members of Congress headed to vote on ending the government shutdown were delayed when their American Airlines flight was grounded due to a “disruptive” passenger.
“On Nov. 11, American Airlines flight 1218, with service from Phoenix (PHX) to Washington, DC (DCA), diverted to Kansas City (MCI) due to a disruptive customer,” the airline said in a statement to KSHB. “Law enforcement met the flight and removed the customer, and the flight later re-departed for DCA, where it landed normally. We thank our customers for their patience and our crew members for their professionalism.”
Aboard the flight were Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ), as well as Republican Reps. Eli Crane, Andy Biggs, and Paul Gosar, all from Arizona. Stanton shared a post on social media about the incident.
“We’re making an emergency stop in Kansas City to remove a disruptive passenger,” Stanton posted.
On a serious note, thank you Kansas City police for handling the situation professionally and without incident. pic.twitter.com/crhr4yKUZg
— Greg Stanton (@gregstantonaz) November 12, 2025
“None of my colleagues is the disruptor. Freedom Caucus is losing its mojo,” the lawmaker joked.
Stanton thanked Kansas City police in his post “for handling the situation professionally and without incident.”
About 2 hours and 41 minutes into the flight that departed from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the plane landed at 6:15 p.m. after being diverted to Kansas City International Airport.
Kansas City police officers boarded the plane and escorted the unidentified woman off the Airbus A320, as seen in a video posted by another passenger, Adam Burtner.
If you’d like to hear her parting words… pic.twitter.com/ZtXAWKEEYn
— Adam Burtner (@Adam_Burtner) November 12, 2025
“Sorry, folks,” the woman could be heard telling the flight as police walked her off. “We live in a fascist state.”
“Airport police escorted the passenger off the flight, Jackson Overstreet, a spokesman for the Kansas City Aviation Department, said in a statement. Police did not arrest the passenger, but escorted the person to the ticket counter area to book another flight, Jackson said,” according to The Kansas City Star.
Stanton voted against the bill to reopen the federal government, which passed the House of Representatives and was signed by President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
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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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