Woman forcibly removed from American flight after refusing to wear mask, officials say
An American Airlines passenger was sent packing after allegedly refusing multiple requests to wear a mask.
The incident unfolded on a Dallas-bound flight out of New Orleans on Friday morning, a spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed to McClatchy News. The flight was delayed when the woman “failed to comply” with a federal mask mandate aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
She was told to mask up or leave — then had to be forcibly removed by police.
“I’ve never seen anything quite like it before,” passenger Patrick Maney told The New Orleans Advocate. “Two heavily armed police came and told the lady to get off. She refused, and they then told her to get up.”
Maney said the woman was hauled off “screaming and resisting” as deputies restrained her hands behind her back, according to the newspaper.
Questions about possible charges against the woman were deferred to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. A department spokesperson told McClatchy News the woman is facing the following charges: remaining after forbidden, disturbing the peace, simple assault and resisting arrest.
The Federal Aviation Administration has also said it’s cracking down on flight disruptions, proposing fines of up to $21,500 against unruly plane passengers, McClatchy News reported.
Saturday’s incident is the latest in a string of disputes involving passengers upset over mask rules and other COVID-19 safety protocols. Last week, a woman was filmed spewing homophobic vitriol at fellow passengers on a Dallas-bound flight after she was booted for refusing to wear a mask, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
The commotion caused the flight to be delayed for almost 90 minutes, the newspaper reported.
A similar incident unfolded aboard a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Miami when a woman cursed at a flight attendant after being spoken to about her mask. That incident was also filmed, and later posted to social media.
“We don’t tolerate that crap with us at all,” a ticket agent is heard telling the woman, video shows. “You can find another carrier to fly. I’d suggest Spirit.”
In-flight disruptions have become common during the pandemic, and the FAA said it has “zero tolerance” for such behavior.
“Federal law prohibits interfering with aircraft crew or physically assaulting or threatening to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft,” officials said in a news release last month. “Passengers are subject to civil penalties for such misconduct, which can threaten the safety of the flight by disrupting or distracting cabin crew from their safety duties.”
This story was originally published July 25, 2021 at 2:07 PM with the headline "Woman forcibly removed from American flight after refusing to wear mask, officials say."