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Home » American Airlines » American Airlines Flight Diverts After Women Hurl Racist Insults, Spit On Passenger
American Airlines

American Airlines Flight Diverts After Women Hurl Racist Insults, Spit On Passenger

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 27, 2021November 14, 2023 61 Comments

an airplane flying in the sky

An American Airlines flight diverted to Phoenix after two female travelers cursed out then spit on a man who told them to stop using foul, racist language.

American Airlines Flight Diversion Over Racist Passengers

Kelly Pichardo, 30, and Leeza Rodriguez, 29, were traveling from Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) to Los Angeles (LAX) on Wednesday on AA776. But they ended up in Phoenix (PHX), where, according to American Airlines, police “removed and arrested two individuals for verbally and physically assaulting other customers and flight crew members.”

Pichardo and Rodriguez were using racial slurs onboard (the specifics were not identified). Another passenger told them to stop. They responded by cursing out the passenger then spitting on him. The crew intervened and were also verbally assaulted. As a result, the captain opted to divert to Phoenix.

A Phoenix police spokesperson offered additional details:

“Kelly Pichardo became upset and allegedly spit at the male passenger who had asked her to stop using that language. The male passenger then began to record the two women and that is when Leeza Rodriguez struck the man’s hand to keep him from recording the incident.”

Both passengers were charged with disorderly conduct and Pichardo also faces an assault charge.

American Airlines called the conduct “disturbing and unacceptable,” adding:

“We continue to investigate this incident and are working directly with impacted customers to ensure their well-being. We thank our crew members for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation.”

The ladies also face a large fine from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration under its new zero-tolerance policy for flight disturbances. American Airlines also confirmed that it banned the two passengers from future travel on AA.

CONCLUSION

This was really disgusting behavior. I hope the two ladies will receive more than a slap on the wrist for their poor behavior onboard.

image: Glenn Beltz / Flickr

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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61 Comments

  1. derek Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 12:46 pm

    Pichardo and Rodriguez have deep seated psychiatric problems that will never go away short of execution. However, I’m not a supporter of the death penalty.

    • Janet Reply
      March 1, 2021 at 9:23 am

      I hope they end up on no fly list. No one on any airline should have to deal with them.

    • Jon Reply
      March 1, 2021 at 7:24 pm

      As we turn the corner and unfortunately we will always have ignorant short minded people who refuse to at least behave like adults while flying or really in any public space.. it’s not ok to be rude/racist/violent in anyway.. No one wants to hear trash talk especially on a plane… People like this should be banned from flying altogether on any carrier. Being spat on is a crime! It is assault depending on the degree it could be a felony.. Being disruptive and or offensive on a plane is a quick trip to the next airport as it should be.

  2. Bob Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 1:09 pm

    People like this should be banned from flying on ALL airlines.

    • Sue s. Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 3:17 pm

      I agree!

      • Pat Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 5:27 pm

        These “ladies” are definitely not ladies!

        • Melissa Gordon Reply
          February 28, 2021 at 4:13 pm

          Exactly what I was thinking! Outrageous behavior!

    • CHRIS Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 3:37 pm

      Think it was really appropriate to divert over this? Sure call the cops on arrival to LA but I’d be pretty pissed at AA if I was on this flight and was forced to overnight because of a missed connection. Since the FAs don’t do anything else these days perhaps they could brush up on deescalation techniques and move the passengers. Oh and speaking of cops, I thought it was racist to call the cops in any situation involving a minority because the cops will show up and automatically shoot them. Maybe AA was racist and wanted them to be killed by police?

      • MuzzerFuzzer Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 4:42 pm

        Hey idiot, the number one responsibility of flight attendants is passenger safety, not to serve a pos like you peanuts and drinks.

        • CHRIS Reply
          February 27, 2021 at 5:02 pm

          And flight attendants like you are the exact reason why there should not be flight attendants. You’re emboldened now because the government is paying your salary but eventually it will be back to the days when people like me who buy premium cabin tickets pay it. The more of us who fly with your competitors, the less of you will be at AA……it is AA right?…..may also be UA to I suppose.

          • Susan
            February 27, 2021 at 9:47 pm

            Wow. Your comments are completely unacceptable. And no, I’m not a flight attendant. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, the behavior of these females was completely out of line and could have potentially turned more violent. Now, had an air marshal been able to step up and hem these two inconsiderate women up by cuffing them and sitting them down, maybe diverting could have been avoided. But that wasn’t mentioned. So don’t go slamming people for reacting in a situation you weren’t in or weren’t a part of, buddy. No need to be impolite to people and spout your BS and entitled ass opinion
            Those days are done. Time to move along.

          • Stephanie
            February 28, 2021 at 12:53 pm

            From your comments maybe you should be banned from all airlines. I have been flying all of my life and in the last five years have seen and heard about passengers that have no class; extremely rude and potentially violent. We used to worry about terrorists hijacking planes; now we have homegrown selfish terrorists/idiots to disrupt people’s flights. You as a passenger don’t own the airlines; you are a customer and so are the other passengers who pay for their tickets and have a right to a peaceful nonthreatening flight.

        • Don Reply
          February 27, 2021 at 5:12 pm

          Once a Ho you’re always a Ho. Nothing will ever change that. Psychiatric loose cannons should not be aloud in confined spaces with normal people. All airlines should put these “Ladies” on the “ no fly” list.

          • Sherri
            February 28, 2021 at 8:56 am

            Completely agree! Anyone who creates a disturbance and become physically assaultive should be placed on the do not fly list for every airline!

        • Rose Reply
          February 28, 2021 at 12:34 pm

          Haha… my thought exactly! I cringe when I hear that two gentlemen were caught eating human body parts, well you get my drift!

        • Jeannetta Reply
          February 28, 2021 at 7:42 pm

          Those fight attended are there to save your life if that aircraft goes down and you are lucky enough to survive that crash. You might not know how to get off a burning aircraft those flight attendants do! Disgusting behavior! I know I am a former Flight attendant. Be respectful of flight crews!

      • Pat Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 5:26 pm

        These “ladies” are definitely not ladies!

      • Frank Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 6:23 pm

        It is remarks like yours that keep racism in the forefront of this country. Facts are that there are more white folks killed by police than black people. You just hear more about it because the media makes it that way.

      • Cisco Reply
        February 28, 2021 at 10:15 am

        Well not one for having to hear supposedly racist slurs being bombed out on flight but must agree with you on that missing connecting flight because of 2 morons doesn’t really make sense pilot and crew need to be able to have a plan in place they can act on.

        Seems as though all the airlines have had nothing but time on their hands and thank the feds for bailing them out. With as much time during pandemic this should have been something thought out before it ever took place. And properly handled by AA crew.

        Don’t you just love stories like this racial slurs what where they look if your going to divert a plane full of passengers don’t you think we all should be the judges of what the racial slurs where? And who or what they where directed at.

        Where they against blacks whites latinos or just rambling off on all people of different color or nationality? Possibly the sky is green not blue.

        God only knows what is considered a racial slur racial profiling today with the new norm new Politically Correct agenda. Wasn’t it just recently 2+2 was called racist as there are some, (morons) that said it’s not how they see it.

        Yeah ok 2+2 qualifies as racist, where the hell are we headed as a nation into the deep abyss dictated by bunch of idiots proclaiming what is and what isn’t racist. So what is 2+2=9?

        • M. Grossmann Reply
          March 1, 2021 at 3:13 pm

          As a nation we are all headed into PC authoritarian paradise with a Venezuelan economy to boot

      • Melissa Reply
        February 28, 2021 at 12:01 pm

        I don’t care what race these women were, they have no right to behave like that in public. One of them struck someone which is assault. It’s not like there’s a secure holding facility aboard until they reach LA. The plane puts down at the nearest airport. AA did the correct thing

        • CHRIS Reply
          February 28, 2021 at 7:26 pm

          The plane puts down at the nearest airport if it were on fire. It was not on fire. Move the pax, deal with it in LA and everyone makes connections. To unnecessarily screw an entire plane load of people for this is nonsense.

          • Mariko Yatsu
            February 28, 2021 at 8:47 pm

            I agree with you, Chris. Flying is stressful enough.
            I notice we have WAY more people who don’t know how to act in public. I’d be ok with zip tie handcuffs and a spit hood & they sit in the last row?

      • Janet Reply
        March 1, 2021 at 9:28 am

        They should not be allowed on any airline carriers. Their reaction was too violent.

      • Herself Reply
        March 1, 2021 at 10:18 am

        Wow. Your assessment, aside from being one of the poor passengers whose trip was delayed by those [redacted by admin] “ladies”, was just weird. AF. You obviously don’t believe “minorities “ are targeted and Murdered by some (Not all) police officers despite incredible, incontrovertible, Video evidence to the contrary. Which reveals Exactly Who YOU are. I pity you. Crawl back under your rock, with the others like you.

      • Becky Reply
        March 1, 2021 at 8:16 pm

        Chris, please! You’re going to tell a trained, licensed, commercial pilot what he should have done in this situation? I’m sure this isn’t his first experience with something like this. He doesn’t need a keyboard cowboy telling him how to do his job. A job that you can’t even dream of doing. So, sit down!

        • CHRIS Reply
          March 2, 2021 at 3:12 pm

          Funny you should say that. There was no reason to divert. (I have my ATP)

    • Ben Ballard Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 6:07 pm

      AGREE 100%

    • Lynn Paulson Reply
      February 28, 2021 at 2:14 pm

      I completely agree! This behavior will only escalate.

  3. Santastico Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 1:10 pm

    Disgusting behavior but why there is always a moron that needs to record everything? Seriously, solve your problems by having a conversation or punching them in the face but stop being a snowflake that your way to fight against it is to record and post on social media.

    • Meemunk Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 3:00 pm

      It was recorded by another passenger

      • Santastico Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 5:19 pm

        Yes, he was the moron. Nobody should have the right to record anything he/she is not part of it.

        • Scooter Reply
          February 27, 2021 at 7:06 pm

          Uh if your out in public and iam filming stay out the way or get filmed
          If you want to make an ask
          Out of yourself in public than guess what the public citizens are going to film it
          Why is that hard for you to understand?

    • Ray Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 6:45 pm

      Chris you are what is wrong with this country all you want is to see minorities do what they want to do without consequences. I don’t care what color you are you don’t get to act however you want and not be held accountable. And by the way I am of mixed races so don’t even think about going there

      • CHRIS Reply
        February 28, 2021 at 7:33 pm

        I don’t want anyone to not act without out consequences. You are confusing me with out temporary President and out current Vice President who will take over in about 3 months….the ones who want to abolish police, bail, prisons, working for money and encourage rioting and murder as self expression. I’m not worried. I have guns.

        • Eunice Lindsey Reply
          March 1, 2021 at 2:12 pm

          Chris. I have heard of dumb but you take the cake. Your mind is gone. You are one of these people who think everything is a conspiracy. Did you even attend school? Were you even educated? I feel sorry for you because you don’t even make sense. Stop making comments if your comments show how ignorant you are!!!!!!

    • Herself Reply
      March 1, 2021 at 10:22 am

      Friend, recording is not always done to simply post somewhere. It Protects folks from the he-say, she-say hearsay defense. You may one day wish you had Proof of something that happened to you or someone you care about.

  4. Francis Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 1:15 pm

    Magat’s again. It’s a mental issue

  5. Jerry Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 1:17 pm

    America sure is a strange place

    • Santastico Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 1:59 pm

      @Jerry: not sure where you live but I spent the last 4 years working in England. That places makes the US to look like a childcare. Never seen people more obnoxious and weird in my life. It is hard to explain but it is a mix of trashy behavior, deep entitlement, extremely high level of alcohol and Middle Age mindset. That makes America a paradise.

      • Jerry Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 3:55 pm

        Idiocy isn’t unique to one single place, I suppose.

  6. Eileen Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 2:27 pm

    Call them “women,” not “ladies,” because the behavior is a 180 of the definition.

  7. Slim Pickens Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 4:08 pm

    The term ladies is not interchangeable with women. Look it up.

  8. Marcus allen Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    Santastico America isn’t America anymore. Americas day is coming they’re going to have to answer for their crimes against its own citizens and abroad. It had ample opportunity to repair damages but has refused to do so. It’ll continue to fight and push their morale compass on the world but the world has seen how corrupt and two faced it is. I only hope I will be able to fight because this will come to pass soon, but right now I’ll continue to teach whomever wants to be taught how to protect themselves. Yea we love our country, ours and we love our god, ours. We can’t believe in the same things that have allowed these devils to run amok

  9. Mike Able Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 4:22 pm

    What was the Ethnicity of the accused?

    • Don Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      Ethnicity? Trash doesn’t have a color.

      • Jan Reply
        February 27, 2021 at 7:48 pm

        According to debit, these are likely white republican males.

        /s.

  10. Pam Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 5:02 pm

    Please don’t call them ladies.

    • Don Reply
      February 27, 2021 at 5:41 pm

      My apologies to all true “Ladies” out there.

      • Dell Reply
        February 28, 2021 at 5:06 pm

        That “trial” was political theater. Justice Roberts did not preside over it. Stop allowing the media to for your opinion and read your constitution so you realize how badly it’s being destroyed right now. America is last free country on earth & the left is willing to watch it burn because orange man bad. Wake up, they were not after Trump. They’re after you & I and our hod given constitutional rights. Trump was just in way.

  11. Bobbie Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 5:18 pm

    Those two should not be referred to as ‘ladies’. Disgusting people. Good for the male passenger for saying something.

  12. Joe Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 9:32 pm

    This is not a report but an opinion piece. Who is the author to judge what happened? Responsible reporting would be to report what transpired, not condemn one party or another without even as much as a mention as to the lead up. Maybe the guy was kicking their seats. Maybe they had too much to drink. I agree with every comment in this post, from their individual perspective. But, without actual reporting, no one will ever know what really happened. When they get their “day in court” the truth will be revealed and this author will be no where around. Sad.

    • Valerie South Reply
      March 1, 2021 at 6:47 pm

      So.. depending on whether he was kicking their seat or even maybe if they- aka the women- were drunk, that could be a reasonable explanation to be using racial slurs and spitting on the man?
      I’m pretty sure they would of been in uproar if they had been called names like .. idk something about Spanish people?
      Hmmm…funny how you tried to give them an excuse! There is no excuse for the way those women acted!
      Then they’ll probably use a defense of.. they were racially targeted, nothing short of jail time for scarring a whole flight of people with their actions, actually acting like animals in a close quarter environment!
      NO FLY LIST WAS MADE FOR PEOPLE LIKE THIS too!

  13. Stuart Reply
    February 27, 2021 at 11:14 pm

    It’s astounding that despite politics (as who knows – they could be Bernie supporters) it is the combined world of Covid craziness, along with the last four years of vitriol and lies, that has truly given rise to the behavior of idiots. I mean, if the former President can be so violent and angry and idiotic, why not me? That’s what it has come down to. Education will be the only hope for the future at this point. I pray we can get there. In the meantime it’s no wonder the rest of the world stares blankly when Biden says, “America is Back.” We are a long way from back. This is just another example of the ignorance, pain, and anger that is ravaging this nation right now.

  14. Mike Reply
    February 28, 2021 at 1:59 am

    Need Air Marshalls assigned to all flights to focus on these domestic terrorist. All of these issues we are seeing happening in the air would not if we had Marshalls on board. I will be more than happy to pay a tax for each ticket to ensure I arrive safely and as planned. A few years ago n a flight SFO to JFK while boarding a flight I was seated in business class. In front of me was a young man and he was seated next to an older woman. The older woman’s husband asked the man to switch seats with him so he could sit next to his wife. The young man declined and said he did not want to switch. The older man started to berate and curse at him. The young man tried to ignore him and asked to be left alone. But the older man escalated the issue and began to get physical. That is when the you man stood up and pulled out his badge and Announced he was an air Marshall and had the man removed from the fight. Problem solved and we left on time.

  15. Dorie Williams Reply
    February 28, 2021 at 3:33 am

    Bull Trump got acquitted
    All he do is lie so a slap on the wrist is fine

  16. Kim Kency Reply
    February 28, 2021 at 10:42 am

    The women who spit on the male passenger need to get 5 yrs n jail that attempt murder with this Covid-19 virus trust no one

    This is my first time commenting on this site

    • Anna Reply
      February 28, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      Ban them from buses, trains and planes, let them learn to crawl, they surely don’t know how to mingle!!

  17. Dina Reply
    February 28, 2021 at 2:35 pm

    That’s right Flight Attendants are for safety #1, not to be bouncers!
    Spitting is an assault, period.

  18. Becky Reply
    March 1, 2021 at 8:09 pm

    Wow Chris, you really are something! First of all, brainiac, the government doesn’t pay the salaries of flight attendants. The individual airline owners do. Secondly, FA have a very hard and stressful job, dealing with idiots like you! They’re subjecting to ppl every day, who are either anxious about flying or just simply hard to please. I’m guessing by your attitude, that you’d be one of those problem flyers. They are away from family and friends for long stretches of time. Sometimes at a moments notice. They don’t have this glamorous life. Are you one of those ppl who believe everything you see in the movies? Oh, before you assume I’m a FA, like you did with the other poster, im not. Just someone who has empathy for other ppl and doesn’t think she knows everything!

    • CHRIS Reply
      March 2, 2021 at 11:03 pm

      I’ll explain it since you apparently didn’t understand the connection. Creepy Joe, ie: the government has been subsidizing airline payroll by a bs program called the “cares act”. We’re already on our third iteration of this experiment of flushing money down the toilet or just setting it on fire. Abje to understand now?

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