A woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight at LaGuardia Airport in New York City after allegedly becoming intoxicated and verbally abusive toward another passenger prior to takeoff.
The flight, which was headed to Kansas City, was delayed after the woman began loudly berating the passenger seated next to her, reportedly making derogatory remarks about the individual’s weight and appearance. According to eyewitnesses, the situation escalated when the disruptive passenger physically grabbed the other woman’s hair during the confrontation.
“She kept yelling offensive comments and then suddenly pulled the woman’s hair,” said one fellow passenger. “It was shocking.”
Flight attendants and other passengers attempted to calm the situation and separate the individuals involved. Despite efforts to de-escalate, the woman continued shouting profanities and refused to cooperate. Video footage captured her yelling explicit insults and claiming she had no interest in sitting next to the other passenger.
“Yeah, I’m sorry! I didn’t want to sit next to a f***ing fat lady,” she was heard yelling. “You guys are already past the point of no return!”
When asked to let go of the woman’s hair, the disruptive passenger insisted, “I’m not even touching her hair,” even as she was seen holding it.
Another witness shared their experience: “When she first started saying stuff I called out ‘Why don’t you be nice?’ She turned around and called me ugly a few times and that I could never get a boyfriend or have sex. I looked at her and said, ‘I’ve been married for almost 20 years, lady.’”
The woman continued to insult the passenger sitting beside her, yelling, “Look at this fat lady. Look at this fat a** b****. She can’t even, look, you can’t even see her stomach.” She added, “It’s horrible. Look at her outfit. Look at this fat a** b****. Hilarious. You can’t even show your mouth because you’re embarrassed.”
She was eventually escorted off the aircraft on a gurney. Officials confirmed she was evaluated at a hospital before being transferred to the custody of the New York City Department of Correction, where she is facing charges of aggravated assault.
“We commend our Team for their professionalism during the incident,” Southwest Airlines said in a statement.
No injuries were reported, and the flight continued to its destination after the situation was resolved.