A United Airlines flight heading from Miami to Newark was rerouted to Orlando International Airport on Tuesday night after a passenger's outburst led to an altercation involving a flight attendant. The passenger became unruly, resulting in her being restrained by the cabin crew during the flight, ClickOrlando reported.
The incident escalated when the aggressive passenger was confronted. In their efforts to manage the situation, a crew member was reportedly bitten by the passenger, a detail supported by footage showing the woman with a piece of the flight attendant's shirt in her mouth. The flight attendant was attempting to de-escalate the incident, the confrontation led to the unscheduled landing, according to detailed accounts from FOX 35.
WSVN-TV aired a video that portrayed the scuffle between the woman and the crew member aboard United Flight 762. The footage displays the passenger putting her face onto the flight attendant's shoulder during the tussle and subsequently seen with fabric from the uniform in her mouth. The passenger also allegedly spat at another individual during the fray, causing further disturbance on the airplane.
After the airplane landed in Orlando, local law enforcement met the flight, and the passenger was removed from the aircraft, United Airlines confirmed. "Our flight attendants worked to de-escalate the situation and protect other customers and after landing in Orlando, law enforcement met the flight, and the passenger was removed," United stated, as detailed by FOX 35. The Orlando Police Department later conveyed that the individual was taken to a local hospital for a medical examination, but no immediate arrest was made.
The delay caused by the altercation kept the flight on the ground in Orlando for about three and a half hours. United Airlines expressed appreciation for their staff’s professionalism and dedication to ensuring the security of passengers and their co-workers alike, underlining the challenging circumstances crew members occasionally face while performing their duties in the sky.
