An allegedly inebriated and combative couple engaged in a fierce brawl, forcing a diversion of a United Airlines 767-300 traveling across the Atlantic on Friday morning.
Report: Fight Between Combative Couple Escalates, Forcing Diversion On United Airlines 767-300
United Airlines flight UA883 left London Heathrow (LHR) on time, bound for Newark (EWR) on March 1, 2024 with 150 passengers and 10 crew members onboard. But before reaching its destination, it made an unscheduled stop in Bangor, Maine (BGR) to drop off two passengers.
While specifics are not yet confirmed, the two passengers were reported to be intoxicated and became disruptive onboard. Video captured onboard shows one of the passengers being removed:
MAINE: Flight UA 883 from London to Newark made an emergency landing at Bangor Airport in Maine this morning, and a violent passenger was removed. The flight was full of Yidden, who will iyh land in Newark in time for shabbos. pic.twitter.com/5tDzRySW0u
— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) March 1, 2024
From FlyerTalk, we learn that the trouble may have been a domestic squabble between a boyfriend and girlfriend:
“[My wife] was on this flight and they were puzzled as to why it was diverted when they were less than an hour from EWR (the flight at that point was scheduled to arrive almost an hour ahead of schedule). The offending passenger was restrained in handcuffs, and had been for the last 2 hours or so of the flight, and while still belligerent was restrained in the rear and (presumably) not a direct threat to the aircraft. Apparently, the altercation was a man having a big fight with his girlfriend.
But while the offending passenger(s) may have been constrained in handcuffs, something must have happened because it does appear the captain made a sudden decision to divert to Bangor:
Upon landing in Bangor, the two passengers were removed by police and now face criminal penalties and stiff fines. The FBI has taken the lead in investigating the case.
Impressively, the aircraft took off again at 11:40 am for Newark, less than two hours after its 9:56 am landing in Bangor.
United has banned the passengers while it investigates what occurred onboard:
“United flight 883 landed in Bangor this morning after two passengers, who appeared intoxicated, became disruptive.
“Law enforcement officials removed the two passengers and the flight [re-departed] for Newark Liberty International Airport. The customers will be banned from future United flights while we review this matter.”
CONCLUSION
A United flight diverted to remove two passengers who reportedly were intoxicated and engaging in a domestic squabble. The key outstanding question is that if the violent boyfriend was in flex cuffs and the flight was only an hour from Newark, what happened to prompt the sudden diversion?
The main takeaway from recent stories is that the white trash isn’t just on Frontier/Spirit.
From bickering couples to “business class” customers that can’t hold their bladders and asses, trashy fliers fly every airline.
If only the airlines would force idiots like this and others who cause diversions to pay for the cost of the diversion and then ban them from the airline for a long period of time, these incidents would likely stop.
She was probably pissed at him because they weren’t flying on the galaxy’s #1 PREMIERE airline, Delta. She needs to dump him!
@TDJr … +1 . Also , perhaps they had a disagreement over the “entertainment” selections .
praise be to allah for delta air lines. Only peasants fly UAL
“United Airlines flight UA883 left London Heathrow (LHR) on time, bound for Newark (EWR) ” UK and Newark. This combo made me stop reading. I already know the outcome. This seems another stupid move from pilot and FA since they caused a huge problem for many passengers and were only an hour from final destination.
What does the route have to do with any of this?
America needs a caste system.
Bangor seems to be a popular diversion destination. Apparently they aren’t very busy and have CBP, FBI and local police at the ready with a 20 minute notice. Drunks and disruptive passengers can be quickly removed and planes back in the air. EWR could handle it, but who wants to chance putting up with these idiots a moment more. The dude still looked quite aggressive deplaning in Bangor.
@Maryland … +1 .
People and their goddamn phones. They should be thrown off to.
@David … +1 .
If you were flying a premier carrier carrier like Delta you would not encounter low life’s like this.
It was actually creepy homosexual Ben Schlapig and his twink after too many appletinis.
Considering that this incident was between a man and a woman, your assertion is clearly wrong. Not to mention, how on earth are you getting appletinis on United?
I don’t understand the vitriol against Ben. Totally uncalled for.
Come on, where’s your sense of humor? That was damn funny.
Well, that and blatant homophobia…
I know, good and refreshing.
It has never been good nor refreshing, you toxic trash.
Wow… and how do we feel about blatant racist anti-Asian comments?