A passenger aboard a United Airlines flight from Austin to Los Angeles caused a disturbance by repeatedly kicking the seat, with the shocking incident captured on video and went viral on social media.
In the short viral footage shared by an international media outlet, the man can be seen kicking the seat in front of him, while also grabbing both the aisle and exit row seats. He forcefully pushed the middle seat back into the empty row behind him, before attempting to dismantle it by jumping on it.
Gino Galofaro, a California-based passenger who was also on the flight, recalled waking up to the noise and intervening to help restrain the disruptive passenger. He told the International media outlet, “I woke up to him kicking the seat. The flight attendant passed by a few times, but no one did anything. I stepped in, and two other passengers grabbed zip ties. We used them to tie his hands and feet, then seat belted him into the chair. We were just 40 minutes from landing at LAX. Police boarded the plane when we arrived.”
United Airlines later confirmed that the passenger has been banned from flying with the airline. In a statement, a spokesperson said, “On November 16, local law enforcement met United flight 502 upon its arrival at Los Angeles International Airport after a passenger became disruptive. We are grateful to our crew for managing the situation and ensuring the safety of all passengers. This individual has been banned from flying with us in the future.”
In September 2024, news went viral when a Southwest Airlines plane preparing for departure at Dallas Love Field airport was struck by a bullet late on Friday and had to return to the gate.
“Southwest Airlines Flight 2494 was set to depart for Indianapolis when a bullet apparently struck the right side of the plane, just below the flight deck, as the crew was preparing for takeoff,” a Southwest spokesperson said in an emailed statement to Reuters.
Read More: Southwest Airlines plane struck by bullet before departure
“No injuries were reported. Law enforcement authorities have been notified and the plane has been removed from service.”
Dallas Love Field Airport told Reuters that the security incident occurred at around 9:50 p.m. local time and Dallas police and Dallas Fire-Rescue responded.
Passengers were safely deplaned after the aircraft sustained damage, the airport said in a statement, without identifying the airline.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement that the Southwest plane was a Boeing 737-800 and sustained damage after the bullet struck “near the cockpit.”
