I’ve written about all sorts of onboard mask incidents during the pandemic, but I finally witnessed an incident first-hand…a nutter onboard a recent flight from Denver to Los Angeles who repeatedly refused to wear his mask and cursed out a flight attendant.
Drunk Nutter Curses And Resists Mask Ordinance On My United Airlines Flight To LA
I had settled into my seat when I first noticed the man in front of me was not wearing a mask. In these sorts of incidents I am happy to mind my own business and let the flight attendants handle it, but this was clearly not an oversight: he was deliberately not wearing his mask.
He began chatting with his seatmate, a guy who was properly wearing a KN95 mask and probably far too polite. I’m not going to repeat his exact language, for its was incredibly foul, but some of the topics he brought up:
- The election was stolen from Donald Trump
- COVID-19 is a hoax
- These masks are simply the government trying to control us
The man was also drunk. Clearly drunk.
At two points during the boarding process, he was told to put his mask on and briefly did, before taking it right off once the flight attendants retreated to the galley.
During this time the man shared his opinions with his seatmate on a wide range of issues, some of which I captured below from my seat behind them:
Finally, the door closed and one of the flight attendants performed a last check of the cabin to ensure that seatbelts were securely fastened. Once again, the man had his mask pulled down below his chin.
And then the famous last words from the FA:
“Are we going to have a problem today?”
The man looked back at the flight attendant, pulled the mask up, and shook his head no.
After the flight attendant walked away the mask came off again and the man returned to his imbecilic diatribe…with his mask off.
He revealed to his seatmate he had just been thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight for not wearing a mask, walked over to the United counter, and booked the last first class ticket on our flight to Los Angeles.
That sort of admission sort of makes me re-think Delta’s proposal to share a “naughty” list amongst U.S. airlines…
> Read More: Delta Wants To Collude With Other Airlines To Ban “Bad” Passengers
Trouble In the Air
Once we reached our cursing cruising altitude, another flight attendant came around the cabin to take drink and dinner orders. The man wanted hard liquor and the flight attendant, after reminding him to pull his mask up, refused.
“Sir, you’ve had enough for now. We’ll check again in an hour or so.”
This enraged the man. He leaned over to his seatmate and said:
“Bitches. They’re all bitches. They don’t like alpha males. She doesn’t like me because I’m a strong white male.”
Keep in mind that during this time the flight attendant, a black woman, was standing in the aisle.
In an amazing display of professionalism, she kept her composure and asked what he would like for dinner. He ordered chicken and water.
She returned with his meal and he pulled his mask off and began eating.
Over the next hour, he spent most of his time talking to his seatmate (same stuff…). Twice he was told to put his mask on between bites and sips, especially because there was so much gap between them, but he responded by holding up his cup, to signify he was drinking. There was no verbal acknowledgement.
He appeared to have sobered up a bit after an hour, because when the flight attendant returned to collect his meal tray, he apologized for cursing her out.
Still, that did not stop him from failing to wear a mask for most of the reminder of the flight.
No Way I’m Speaking Up
I realize that taking pictures and video and later writing about it instead of speaking up may be construed as passive aggressive, but even though this guy was a head shorter than me, I was in no mood for confrontation. He was quite combative and the last thing I needed was an invitation to duel.
That was especially wise because I ran into him puffing on an e-cigarette (still talking to his poor seatmate who needs to grow a pair and tell people to shut up when they bother him) on the road to the Uber parking lot at LAX.
The mask policy is not my policy to enforce and it is not for me to correct unruly passengers. But I was tempted. The sad twist of this story is that there is was a little five-year-old boy, the same age as my son, seated behind me. He heard everything too. No child should be forced to endure that level of profanity.
CONCLUSION
The flight attendants on this flight deserve great kudos for their patience. Can you imagine being cursed at and taking it with grace and dignity? I believe that we would have diverted on other airlines and I’m thankful we did not return to Denver or wind up in Las Vegas or somewhere in-between DEN and LAX.
Whether this passenger was simply drunk or truly believed all the venom he was spouting (plus the filthy language), is beside the point. Talking to a flight attendant in the manner in which he did should land him on United’s banned traveler list. I hope these pictures and videos will be helpful in holding him accountable.
I feel like “cursing altitude” was a typo but, in context, I can’t say that definitively.
Lol. Noticed that too. “Ladies and Gentleman. We’ve reached the cursing altitude. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the vulgarities “
same guy? https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2021-10-08/air-rage-mask-mandate-flying-air-travel
Another trumper that should not be allowed to fly.
This republican feels the same about you demonrqts
Yeah, but Jim is right.
United should find out why their staff aren’t properly enforcing the rules.
I think they did just fine – what would a diversion have accomplished. Or even calling the cops? They should simply ban his butt and I hope that has already been done ahead of my post.
IMHO they aren’t doing enough, especially untied, who I won’t fly with after they forced a friend to gate check his guitar, which they then crushed.
I would have complained when they didn’t throw him off when he refused to mask before push back. Airlines need to start throwing the anti-maskers off the damned plane immediately instead of hoping that the person will obey. They just need to warn everyone that there is ZERO TOLERANCE about not following rules, especially masking rules, and that anyone who disobeys or argues with crew will be removed and put on the much needed all-airline no fly list.
We need to stop tolerating these assholes who want to infect everyone.
If you’re that afraid of flying, stay home. Masks aren’t doing anything for anyone, especially on-board an aircraft. Feelings aren’t science.
Another delicate snowflake who has problems following a simple rule.
Poor baby.
Oh jebus. STFU
U must be inbred
Cloth masks filtering capabilities varies due to how they’re made, but they filter about 40% – 60% of the virus in aerosol form. Surgical masks filter about 70% – 80%. N95 filters 95%. I guess you like inhaling all of the virus around you. Good luck.
Rules are only effective if they are enforced. Otherwise people like this man will simply think their actions have no consequences. Matthew, someone as intelligent as yourself shouldn’t need to be told this.
I’m pretty sure United isn’t going to ban a jackass who actually pays for a last minute, walk up first class seat.
Two minutes of hate. This is what passes for journalism?
You refer to your fellow citizens as Nutters but my comment gets censored.
Well, ur trolling, best to auntie mom
I have no respect for those who choose to fly on an airline but don’t want to abide by that airlines’ reasonable policies, even if disagreeable. Do you?
Hmm..what would it accomplish if you showed kids that following the laws is the only way. Maybe another adult that follows the laws..or maybe save some one’s life. Make no mistake, if this virus is allowed to keep mutating it will kill millions if it mutates to a more lethal version. So yes..it would accomplish alot to stop watching and start stopping them in action. The freedom you enjoy here in the USA to print what you want is there because of laws that let you print what you want as long as your printed words do not hurt or encourage violence or insurrection. But as a citizen of the United States of America you are supposed to support and defend the constitution of the United States of America.
The customer is not always right.
Wait… so the lesson here. Do whatever you want . Break all the rules. Be just barely nice enough about it that you don’t get thrown in jail the second time you try to pull some shit.
While the FAs did maintain composure this guy was let off Scott free. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. There should’ve been airport police waiting for him when they landed.
The crew maintained their professionalism, there was no fight onboard the aircraft, no passengers being duck taped to their seat no drama and yet United still did something wrong? No matter what United does they can’t catch a break. The flight attendant should be commended for recognizing a potential problem and instead of pouring gasoline on the situation she remained cool calm and collect even after being cursed out.
United’s approach to non mask compliance is deescalation and for the FA’s to fill out a report and then the airline decides whether to ban the person. Clearly this passenger was hoping to create a disturbance I’m glad the flight attendant didn’t take the bait. Now days there are a lot of anti-vaxxers, COVID deniers, maskless individuals just looking to create a scene if this flight attendant had taken the bait this would have been headline news for United. Now instead of this guy having his 15 minutes of fame on FOX News or NewMax while dragging United through the mud he has nothing.
If the guy was clearly drunk, he shouldn’t be on the flight, whether or not he can figure out how to wear a mask. If the flight attendant could tell he “appeared intoxicated” he should have been removed before departure.
Another takeaway: Any “man” who has to tell others that he’s an alpha male isn’t one at all – not that being an alpha male is something to laud or be proud of. Classic example of Small Dick Energy.
This cabin crew was week and pathetic.
I disagree. They handled it well. There’s no point in arguing with idiocy. Hopefully they already created an internal report.
Never argue with idiots..they’ll drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience-MTwain & others;Twain sometimes used the word “Stupid”…
prepare the list and share it already. enough is enough.
“still talking to his poor seatmate who needs to grow a pair”
Maybe after he got home he too decided to write his own passive aggressive blog about the issue?
Maybe so. But he didn’t have to walk with him after the flight.
Such an adult you are…name calling…what are you? 12?
The seatmate just posted about this over on VFTW.
LALF, scooped again.
LOL
It seems it’s time for you to also grow a pair and stand up for good rather than sit there. Your hippocracy is just plain disappointing
Hippocracy? As in a hippopotamus government? Or did you mean hypocrisy?
Right wing nutjobs should be pitied. Too bad they vote.
Voting is for chumps and democracy is for idiots. But voting rights, amirite?
Oh look, the anti-vaxxer is back…quite the voice of reason and sanity
UA-CCP thinks his vote matters and that the mob should dictate to the minority how things should be. How did that work out for black folx for most of American history? But, but, progress, amirite? Bless his heart.
Just another example of why the no fly list should be universal.
The fact that this twerp boasted about getting kicked off of one airline and booked this ticket immediately after says it all.
A perfect illustration of why airlines need a real-time no-fly list. Maybe allow people to appeal after a few months and request removal every decade. This behavior is simply inexcusable and penalties must be severe enough to deter this behavior.
A perfect illustration why folx like you should have no say over how others live their lives or businesses operate. I wholeheartedly advocate allowing private businesses to operate as they see fit. Enforcing federal COVID-19 regulations does not qualify as such, however.
Private business can do what they want. Except for when it’s something you as an anti-vaxxer disagree with. Quite the sound logic.
Private businesses can’t just do as they please. If they could, they could refuse to hire someone for any reason, be it that the candidate is old, young, ugly, fat, white, black, tall, gay, straight or any other reason. Who is the state to say how a private business operates as long as it is not harming others? There is no right to be hired by a business, is there? UA-CCP probably thinks businesses should be forced to do things against their will, like bake a gay wedding cake (Masterpiece Cakeshop won that case, thank Allah). Now we have the definition of fascism with state power being enforced through private businesses. Just was UA-CCP ordered!
Meanwhile 2 year olds are being thrown off planes for their “non-compliance”…
People call me a United apologist, but that’s why I fly United.
But you are a United apologist.
weak crew! makes it harder for the next crew to try and enforce the mask rule.
Weak crew or weak government in place? Clearly he said he’s able to just go on another airline and do what he does…
His “white alpha male” mentality is giving me small Dick toxic energy instead lol
You say you didn’t want to get involved and confront him but you are now publishing his picture. Why not let the airline deal with it? And didn’t you get in trouble before for taking pictures?
The guy is an asss but you are just as big of a one for doing what you did with this story.
Maybe looking for some publicity for you and the site?
I maintain it would not have been wise for me to confront the passenger. But one reason I write this post is to ensure he is banned.
I definitely agree you, nor should any passenger get involved unless it’s a physical danger to yourself, FA’s or other passengers. And I’m not talking about a Covid danger.
But I still think it’s the airlines issue to handle, not yours to publicly post the guys picture. Just my opinion on it.
I, for one, am grateful for this guy getting put on blast.
Unfortunately the odds of him facing actual consequences seem slim to none otherwise.
Hell, I’d still say it’s 50/50 despite the public shaming.
Good on ya Matthew! These people need to be banned, hope they figure him out.
How exactly is writing this post “ensuring” he is banned? You are not posting personally identifiable information about him.
If someone refuses to wear a mask, most likely they are also unvaccinated. I don’t want to be around that kind of person. I am flying first class next week from EWR to SAT on UAL and will not put up with that kind of a-hole.
So you are concerned your vaccine doesn’t work? Or are you concerned that the guy is more likely to be carrying it if he isn’t vaccinated? Are you concerned his crummy cloth mask will allow you to get it through your N95 mask? So you don’t go to the grocery store? Go anywhere where people aren’t wearing a mask? What is so important that you have to be on a plane with your thoughts? Do you feel everyone should be tested before a flight? Which is the best way to ensure no one had Vid at the time of the test.
And most of all, what exactly are YOU not going to put up with? Sounds like YOU should be reported to the airline for threatening to act up on a future flight.
Trying to figure out what your concern is? Because you certainly sound crazy, even to most vaccinated people.
I’m fully vaccinated and boosted and the answer to all your questions is “yes”. Because none of these preventative steps are individually infallible. Everyone needs to take all the steps to protect the community.
Plus it’s the law.
And if I’m ever on a flight where somebody isn’t wearing a mask, I am going to say something to them and embarrass them. Because I’m a 6’3” 235 lb white dude who’s a 1K million miler, so I have all the privileges, and I’m going to use all of them to call that person out for their cowardice in a way that an FA is probably too frightened for their job to do so.
Looks like we have another UA-NYC “tough white guy with privilege”. Can’t make this stuff up with the Woke Warriors.
And perhaps you need to do some research on how LAWS are passed. It’s a mandate, not a law. Still needs to be followed if you choice to fly, but not a law.
Thanks, but I’m good. I’ve been practicing law for a few decades now, and I’m happy to ease your mind that “law” is an appropriate term to use in this context.
Title 49 of the US Code Section 44701 [a law] gives the FAA Administrator with rule making authority regarding air travel safety.
The Administrator is implementing the executive order of the president and the CDC’s order with respect to masking on board aircraft (and the CDC’s order is pursuant to another *law* (42 USC 264)).
The common trait among so many of you anti-vaxxers is that you’re undereducated and too lazy to do any actual reading and research on this stuff, and you just post propaganda that you’ve read online someplace. As a result you wind up looking stupid.
“Look at me, I’m Dave Edwards, I live in the Villages and am now bored since Lord & Savior Trump lost and it’s not fun around here anymore, and I like to challenge people on how much they fly each year…oh and I love to breathe through my mouth”.
That is BS
I am against masks at this point and do not wear them in public. I also 100% favor a nationwide vaccine passport. I am fully vaccinated and as soon as the JNJ booster shot is authorized, I WILL be getting it
Folx like Greg seem to labor under the misapprehension that all laws and regulations are just and should be obeyed. Yale Law School has produced plenty of scoundrels.
If you don’t like the law, then win an election and change it. Or are you one of those Trump cultists who believes you did win the election despite the evidence from your hand picked “auditors” that you didn’t?
Are you 100% for the CCP? A nice yellow star, perhaps for the unvaccinated?
Hope the EU slaps a virtual one on ya anti-vaxxer! Italy doesn’t like your type.
Would it surprise anyone if UA-CCP would be fine with making Jews wear pieces of flair, and a minimum of 15 pieces at that? Green Pass requirements are easy to get around. I had crudi in Puglia, delizie di Amalfi on the Costiera, Neapolitan pizza in Naples (from Da Michele, which is not my favorite), all without being vaccinated. Italians have no problem with “my type,” whatever UA-CCP thinks that is. U mad, bro?
And here you were creating posts about not getting glassware on a flight and failing to see the larger underlying issues going on…
To be honest you’re part of the problem
The problem was not the other 19 passengers in the cabin, most of whom were drinking alcohol, it was this nutter. You don’t punish the vast majority because of 1-2 jerks. The American Airlines approach is ridiculous.
Why author had to mention unruly passenger was a Trump supporter? Who knows. What does that have to do with article? Too much bashing of supposed right wingers by the press. If uncooperative traveler had been Biden supporter, that would have never been mentioned.
If you’ve read my writing for the last decade, you would know that is not true.
I think the most significant issue this pandemic has exposed is the large number and the large degree of mental illness that exists in America. All this energy and madness because they are asked to wear a mask, and help their fellow citizens. How childish, immature, and ridiculous these people are. The world is laughing at you….
The madness of believing a flimsy mask will protect you from a horribly lethal virus that threatens humanity’s very existence?
Bullseye!
I have another question. Why is that female flight attendant wearing headphones while addressing the passenger? Obviously not the issue here, but it’s something I see from time to time that I find completely disrespectful.
Obviously, it’s covered a little bit by her hair, but I don’t think it’s a strap from her surgical mask…..
Those don’t like headphones to me? Are we looking at the same picture?
Perhaps they are circular pearl earrings? Perhaps I’m mistaking for Apple’s Airpods. You were on the aircraft so I definitely differ to your judgement, and it is incongruent to the service level and composure you state she provided.
Was it Kyle?
Post of the day…
No, but I’m sure he thinks that this guy is a hero.
Let’s not pick on Kyle. He’s a great guy and I even if we don’t see eye-to-eye on certain issues, I stand behind him as a colleague and friend.
Just a bit of honest feedback —
I think most of us come here for aviation-related writings. Some posts deal with hot button current events, which is fine. Clicks are clicks, and if the topic at hand affects the aviation industry as a whole, then fair play.
What I think we generally still expect however, is for the conversation regarding these topics to be filtered through a somewhat objective lens, so that the focus of the writing remains racked on how these issues affect the industry / travel / whatever on the whole.
I am decidedly less interested in what a columnist’s individual feelings are towards topics X, Y, and Z unless it is explicitly framed within the context of the larger discussion (“this business class sucks, and I’ll tell you why”), and even then I would expect the author’s subjectivity to remain on background.
Kyle’s column the other day wasn’t about aviation, it was about Kyle. It was about how he feels about these topics, and what he thinks is right and what he thinks is wrong. It was an embarrassingly ham-fisted post and the attempts at gaslighting in the comments made it worse yet. So I don’t think that anyone is necessarily picking on Kyle per se — we are just reacting to the content of the post itself, which boils down to Kyle’s personal feelings regarding vaccine mandates.
If I want a jaundiced world view harped at me via regurgitated talking points from Facebook, I can just check any one of my SNS newsfeeds. When I visit a blog with a very specific focus such as this one, I’m hoping for a little more substance than that, and judging from the tenor of the reactions from the commentariat, I’m not alone.
Just my two cents.
LOL
People need to wake up to reality. Individuals like this man do what they do because they constantly get by with doing it and are let off the hook by others because they don’t want to face the discomfort of “getting involved”. This is the real “pandemic” in this country. In the end this country will be taken over by a loud (and often foul mouthed) minority who have no compunction about “getting involved”, verbally or physically.
Is ‘nutter’ some sort of British slang? I’ve never heard that term used before.
Technically, it is British slang, but it’s used all the time in the USA.
It’s definitely exclusive to British English. And while it might be used a lot in Matthew’s circle, it’s most definitely not common in American English as Matthew states. You’d be hard pressed to find it used “all the time” in the US — look for it in American TV, movies, music, advertising. It’s just not there. Americans typically drop the “er” and use “nut” or “nut job” when describing someone with abnormal behavior. Drinking game proposal: shot every time “nutter” appears in this post.
I love the word nutter! 😉
At first I thought Matthew might have been referring to Michael Nutter, the former Democratic mayor of Philadelphia. Then I realized he was just using an offensive term to perpetuate mental health stigma (and white supremacy, no doubt). Where is his allyship?
Did it occur to you that had you politely intervened and said, “excuse me sir, but the crew is simply doing their job to protect us all. Your comments are making my trip unpleasant. I’d appreciate it if you’d comply with the rules and not use offensive language. Can we all try to have a nice flight?”
Just wondering why you think the seat mate is a stranger? More than likely they were travelling together? Or if not, and they just became friends on the flight, why do you keep saying the seat mate needs to a grow pair? I mean clearly he wasnt offended and liked the guy or why would he be walking with him to Uber? Irrelevant to the larger issue of course but just curious why you are so sure they are strangers or moreso that the seat mate was offended?
Covid or not, mask or not, this is to me just rudeness, to yell at an FA, or anyone who is doing their job and clearly wasnt confrontational. Very disrespectful.
Because he reminded me of myself. Was properly wearing that mask. Quietly listening. Said almost nothing. Far too polite.
This guy shouldn’t have been allowed to fly.
The list is a great idea, as long as there are precautions to prevent its abuse.
After he became aggressive with the FA, the plane should have been diverted.
Lastly, if you wanted him held accountable, a letter to customer service by an industry blogger that includes flight information and seat details should do the job.
Tha mask rule on flights are just STUPID. Do you really think the gaping holes around your blue surgical masks are help to prevent the viral load coming sideways to your seatmates left and right of you? Fresh air in the cabin tends to blow down from the top. Without a mask, a passenger’s natural downward breath will be pushed further away from other passengers.
People who support this rule needs to grow a brain.
I see that there is a lot of educated people in this comment section (including the author of this article), so I would like to ask you, smart people to explain something to me, a very dumb person. (Excuse my bad English, I’m not a native English speakers).
For how long do you think that we should continue with this mask wearing compliance?
A) 1 year B) 5 years C) 10 years D) Until we reach zero Covid E) Indefinitely
To my understanding, everyone who wanted a vaccine, already got one and who didn’t want simply didn’t. Even if every single one of us on this planet got a vaccine, it seems that we would still have Covid around, because of numerous reasons, but probably the biggest one is that no vaccine is 100% efficient in curbing the transmission. So looking from a practical perspective and taking in consideration everything we know about Covid so far, we could conclude that Covid is not going anywhere, at least not in our life time. This drives me to conclusion that majority of people agreeing with the author of this article are proponent of the E option, which is that we should wear masks indefinitely. Now, like I said earlier, I’m a very dumb person, some people might say even retarded, but I don’t think I will go along with this agenda of new normality nor do I want this for my children. By all means, keep your safe distance from me, next time when you see my maskless face in your local mall, if that’s what makes you feel safe, after all I don’t think you will miss my morning bagel and coffee smell coming out of my pie hole, however I would just like to remind you something. This wasn’t a first pandemic in human history and it would be foolish to think that it was the last one. In 20, maybe 50, perhaps 100 years when a new one comes, be mindful that government may ask you not to leave your house without a hazmat suit or not to leave your house at all or whatever the rule they come up with by then. There is no doubt that a significant proportion of people are more than happy to comply with whatever the government or medical “experts” throw at them, because is much easier to delegate your thinking to someone else, but like I said, I’m too dumb for something like that so I guess I’ll continue to be “THE PROBLEMATIC ONE” 🙂
Personal comment: Interesting how Trump supporter, undereducated, anti-science, anti-mask, anti-vax, A-hole and drunk all always seem to apply to the same nutters. (Trump said it himself after a primary win, “we love the undereducated”.) We are far too tolerant of their appallingly anti-social behavior. Unfortunately gun owner also goes with that, a reason firearm deaths and suicides are so much more common in the USA than elsewhere.
Semi-professional comment: Hard to tell from the photos and video but looks like “multiple tattoo sign” can be added to the list for this jerkweed. (“Psychiatric disorders, such as antisocial personality disorder, drug or alcohol abuse and borderline personality disorder, are frequently associated with tattoos.” “A new study has discovered that people with tattoos were more likely to be diagnosed with mental health issues and to report sleep problems.”)
Professional comment: Once it’s determined that the person is drunk, all other interactions with that person are based on the FACT that the person is incapable of coherent thought and behavior and in all likelihood is a risk to themselves and others. In the ER, my drunk patients got ONE “discussion”, I learned early on that lengthy discussions with drunks were completely wasteful and unproductive, “behave yourself or you’ll get a shot that will put you to sleep for the next 8 hours”. (Of course drunks without any other medical problem don’t even belong in an ER, the military deals with drunks much better, a shipmate is assigned to watch them in their barracks until they get sober. Unfortunately, civilian police and EMS don’t want to deal with them so they dump them in the ER.)
ER pearl: “Can’t cure stupid.”
Retired Navy & ER Doc can’t be cured. Sad!
Gratuitous personal attack from cargocult, typical and pathetic.
Gratuitous? You are ostensibly a physician who promotes mental health stigma. As for tolerating anti-social behavior. I think it is the Democrats who are the worst offenders. Mostly peaceful protests, indeed. I don’t condone the “nutter’s” behavior, but I find state coercion to be orders of magnitude worse. Concentrate on the “freedumb” folx, though, while the United States and Communist China converge in their governance.
Oh look, I’m famous. I was the guy. F*** all you pussys who put a diaper on your face. You’re simply tools in a game of government control that your too stupid to realize. Hey Matthew I’m coming after you. F*** you for putting my picture up. I proudly continue to resist. COVID is a hoax. Masks don’t work. I’m a man, not a fag. Trump did win, idiot. Wake up.
[profanity redacted by moderator]
You misspelled “pussies”.
Idiot
Hillary Clinton rightly stated that the Republican Party “included” a great many DEPLORABLES, for which she took a lot of flack (and lost many votes). She was right of course.
They should have told him either the mask was going on or the plane was going to land so he could be arrested.
Similar situation on Newark to Fort Lauderdale United flight on October 5. Unruly, belligerent, possibly intoxicated male pax refusing to wear mask and seemingly trying to bait staff. They did good job of trying to de-escalate situation but pax just became more belligerent. Port Authority police finally came on board, quietly spoke to him for a few minutes and left. About a minute later he abruptly stood up and walked off the plane continuing to spouting off. We were told that he was ultimately arrested and handcuffed on the jetway and escorted away. Takeoff delayed 45 minutes. FAs we’re profeaaional and did a good job of trying to de-escalate but when it was clear that wasn’t going to happen the police were called. No violence but it could have been a bad situation. And fortunately it happened on the ground. Whatever your politics or medical beliefs, an airplane is no place to share them in a way that is disruptive, threatening or unsafe to others. Your freedom ends when it imposes on others’ freedom or perceived or actual safety. The rules are the rules for us all in this (plane) environment. If you don’t agree with them, don’t fly. Or if you’ve shown that you won’t agree, don’t be given the privilege to fly. I agree that a realtime shared flying-ban list would likely be of value to reduce, if not eliminate, repeat offenders
Anyone who says out loud and believes that “Trump won” should be immediately taken to a mental hospital because they are clearly unfit to be in society. Perhaps the doctors of yesteryear who performed lobotomies were on to something.
Thank you 100% agree!
Also, try using Palmolive. It softens hands while you do dishes.
Bears a striking resemblance to AFO #327 on FBI wanted list.
They should have kicked him off before the door closed – clearly seeing someone intoxicated and not following rules.