A disruptive passenger was hauled out of a plane at a Caribbean airport on Thursday. The flight in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was bound for the United States when a commotion began.
A report says that, moments before departure, officers had to detain a woman on a Spirit Airlines aircraft at Cyril E. King Airport. The commotion, which was captured on video by fellow travellers, stemmed from a heated exchange between airline staff over a seating issue, per the report.
In the video, she is seen arguing with two crew members while pointing toward the overhead bin, appearing visibly upset as the discussion escalates. The verbal dispute intensified, and security officers were called to the aircraft to escort her off the plane, but it turned into a tug-of-war as they pulled her out of the plane and down the boarding stairs. She continued to resist even when they reached the tarmac.
According to TMZ, onlookers said the passenger was behaving erratically, shouting profanities. She reportedly also tried to boss around the airline employee, and her conduct prompted the crew to request assistance from law enforcement. It is unclear if she faces any charges related to the incident.
Shortly after the disruption, the aircraft was cleared for departure. The flight later took off without further incident and arrived safely at its destination in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Spirit Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, saying, “Law enforcement was requested and removed a disruptive passenger.” It condemned her behaviour and noted that she was banned from travelling with them. “We do not tolerate disruptive behavior of any kind, and this passenger is no longer welcome on any of our flights,” it added.
