United Airlines bans passenger following viral video showing dispute over wine
FILE - United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft as seen on final approach flying and landing at Athens International Airport, the Greek capital arriving from Washington Dulles IAD in the United States of America as flight UA982. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
United Airlines banned a female passenger following the emergence of a viral video in which she apparently argued with a flight attendant about wine.
In a statement to FOX Business, the airline said United Flight 1813, which left Houston on July 25 and was destined for Los Angeles, had to be diverted to Phoenix "due to a disruptive passenger who continually refused to follow the flight attendant’s instructions to return to her seat."
"Law enforcement officials met the aircraft on arrival and removed the passenger, and the flight subsequently departed for Los Angeles later that evening," a United Airlines spokesperson said. "The customer has been banned from future United flights while we review this matter."
A video purportedly showing the incident unfold was posted on TikTok and has since gone viral.
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FILE - A United Airlines plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on June 21, 2023. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The footage begins with a male voice telling a woman who was standing in the aisle, "Miss, if you don't sit down we are going to land the plane and you are going to go in handcuffs."
"Sit down! Now. Sit down!" the man then says, angrily raising his voice.
The woman responds during crosstalk by saying, "She is accusing me" and, "Let's go, let's land."
"Sit down, we don't care! Do you understand me? Sit down!" the man continues to yell.
A flight attendant then joins the argument, sounding frustrated that the woman is still in the plane’s aisle.
"Why are you causing such a scene?" the employee says. "We are going to land somewhere else and we are going to have the cops take you to jail."
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FILE - United Airlines jetliner parked at airport tarmac, featuring Star Alliance logo and various text markings, San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco, California, June 7, 2023. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
The flight attendant then says, "You came on the plane with wine. I was nice enough to let you on the aircraft... this is how you are going to treat me?"
The woman eventually sits down in a window seat, but is heard telling someone, "Don’t call me a b----!"
"I helped you get on the aircraft, and this is how you are going to treat me?" the attendant then tells her. "You were crying and I gave you a hug, because you told me you were having anxiety. And I helped you, and I knew you were drinking wine, and you are not allowed to. And I still let you on the aircraft. There is children, families onboard."
FILE - A United Airlines plane takes off from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, United States on April 22, 2023. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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The video ends with the flight attendant saying "enough!" and walking away from the passenger.