Hero: Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Throat Punches Passenger Who Pulled Woman’s Hair And Would Not Let Go While Suffering “Psychotic Episode”

An Alaska Airlines flight attendant was forced to repeatedly strike a passenger in the throat after that passenger grabbed his seatmate by her hair and refused to let go. I commend this flight attendant for bravery and quick thinking.

Throat Punch: Alaska Airlines Flight Attendant Jumps In To Save Passenger After Seatmate Grabbed Her Hair And Would Not Let Go

We are often reminded that flight attendants are “here primarily for your safety” and if ever that were true, it was put on display onboard an Alaska Airlines flight last Saturday, February 1, 2025.

Alaska Airlines flight 2221 from Oakland, California (OAK) to Portland, Oregon (PDX) was preparing for takeoff when a kerfuffle occurred in the cabin. A male passenger was spouting off some “weird” things and began rocking his head violently, eventually striking it against the seat in front of him and reportedly briefly losing consciousness.

When he awoke, he reached over and grabbed the hair of the woman sitting a row in front of him and refused to let go. A flight attendant came over and when the man refused to let go of the woman’s hair, the flight attendant began striking him in the throat (a common law enforcement tactic targeting the brachial plexus nerve) until he finally let go.

The aircraft, an Embraer E175, returned to the gate and the man was removed from the flight (though the flight ultimately cancelled).

Here’s video of the disturbance onboard:

Alaska Airlines Flight 2221 incident Oakland, CA 2/1/2024 ~10:35 am pic.twitter.com/ND7g1YqUVz

— chad_bro_chill_17 (@walterizzle) February 1, 2025

An eyewitness report onboard:

“We were about to take off from OAK to PDX but this dude started saying weird stuff and rocking back and forth. A flight attendant was called then he grabbed the woman’s hair in front of him and wouldn’t let go so the flight attendant started punching him in the throat. He was restrained for several minutes before being arrested. The flight was cancelled after an attendant refused to fly and could not be replaced. I lady said he said he was an alcoholic on five medications before he started repeating himself and glitching out.”

And recollections from the female victim:

“I am the woman whose hair was grabbed. My hair was not in anyone’s way to provoke anyone to grab it. The man was having a psychotic episode, banged his head multiple times on the back of my seat, shortly lost consciousness, regained consciousness and grabbed my hair close to the scalp. Had I leaned forward with him grabbing my hair, he could have pulled my hair out. I was afraid this man was going to punch me in the head and I am thankful for the FA and other passengers who stepped in to help.”

Kudos To Flight Attendant

Flight attendants take a lot of flak (often justifed) for not doing their work well, but I am very comfortable commending the flight attendant for fulfilling his highest role…keeping passengers safe. Being a bouncer is not in the job description of a flight attendant and I do wonder how a petite female flight attendant from an East Asian carrier would have responded…the victim onboard was very fortunate to have a tall and strong flight attendant on her flight.

Keeping passengers safe is in the job description and I am grateful that the flight attendant so instantly risked his own safety to protect the woman who was indeed in genuine danger from the erratic passenger.

Sadly, the deranged man may try to sue the flight attendant, but he had it coming to him…I’d love to defend this flight attendant in a court of law…

Do you agree that the flight attendant was justified in using violence against the aggressor?

(Hat Tip: View From The Wing)

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