An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles was diverted to Phoenix after an in-flight passenger fight over a racial slur, USA Today reports.
What happened
Two women got into a fight with a passenger who asked them to stop using a racial slur, according to the Arizona Republic.
- Sgt. Mercedes Fortune, a Phoenix police spokesperson, told the Arizona Republic that the women “became upset and allegedly spit at the male passenger who had asked her to stop using that language.”
- The man filmed the incident on his phone. So one of the women struck his hand to stop him from recording.
The flight was grounded in Phoenix. Law enforcement arrived. Women were added to the internal refuse list for American Airlines, according to USA Today.
Response from American Airlines
American Airlines released a statement about the incident, per the New York Post.
- “Upon arrival, the flight was met by local law enforcement who removed and arrested two individuals for verbally and physically assaulting other customers and flight crew members,” American Airlines representative Derek Walls told the Post in an email.
- “Their behavior was disturbing and unacceptable, and they have been placed on the internal refuse list pending further investigation. We continue to investigate this incident and are working directly with impacted customers to ensure their well-being,” the airline said.
What happened next
The flight eventually returned to the skies and proceeded to Los Angeles, according to the New York Post.