Pilot reports “hallucinating” passenger bit flyer, tried to fight everyone on airline

Passengers on an American Airlines plane approaching a destination in Philadelphia reportedly saw a shocking scene unfold, a pilot describing the individual on board as appearing to “hallucinate” as they approached their destination.

“I Don’t Know If He’s Hallucinating”

As the American Airlines flight made its descent toward the Philadelphia International Airport on Sunday morning, the pilot alerted air traffic controllers about a situation they could barely believe was happening.

“I don’t know … if he’s hallucinating or whatever,” the pilot said in a radio transmission, per ATC audio shared by CBS News. “He just bit a passenger and he’s trying to fight everyone.”

The pilot added a comment: “What a day, huh.”

The pilot then requested that law enforcement and emergency medical personnel meet the plane upon its arrival as a “precaution.”

What Happened Aboard the Plane

The flight on American Airlines originated from Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday and arrived in the City of Brotherly Love shortly before 10 a.m. ET, according to data from FlightAware.

American Airlines stated that the person on board was suffering from a “medical emergency.” A medical professional traveling on the plane was able to provide assistance before landing and a team of medical professionals met the passenger after landing. It remains unclear whether or not the individual was taken into police custody.

A Lighthearted Note After the scare

After the alarming incident on the flight had concluded, the exchange with air traffic control ended on a more humorous note. The air traffic controller wished the pilot a “Happy Father’s Day,” to which he responded: “I’ll be sure to tell my daughters about this one.”

A Disturbing Pattern in the Sky

This is the newest in a trend of unruly passengers on flights: Earlier this month, a passenger attempted to open a door on a flight traveling to Chicago from Puerto Rico. The aircraft was diverted to Miami because of the situation.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there were already 300-plus unruly passenger incidents reported just this year in 2024 alone, out of more than 2,100 incidents total in 2024. Delta Air Lines has warned it has “zero tolerance for unruly behavior.”