An American Airlines flight bound for New York from Brazil was delayed by about two hours after a female passenger attempted to force her way into the cockpit and was restrained and escorted away by crew members.
A video circulating on social media captured the confrontation aboard American Airlines Flight AA90, which was scheduled to depart from São Paulo, Brazil, and fly to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on April 24, according to AEROIN.
The clip shows a woman dressed in business casual attire at an open cockpit door before a crew member grapples her to the floor.
As the crew members strive to regain control of the situation, a male passenger rises from his seat and begins shouting in Portuguese.
The woman is heard arguing with the crew, reportedly shouting in Portuguese, “Aren’t you ashamed? I’ll kick you in the balls.” After they help her to her feet, they start guiding her back to her seat as she continues to protest.
While she is escorted to her seat, she allegedly hurls insults at the cabin crew, calling them a “son of a b—,” a “f—t,” and adding that they are “going to get screwed.”
The man continues standing and yelling furiously at her as she is returned to her seat, prompting another cabin crew member to approach him to try to calm him down.
Local reports indicated that the woman sought access to the cockpit to question the pilots directly about the late takeoff, but her attempt and the man’s outburst contributed to delaying the flight further.
Both individuals were escorted off the aircraft. It remained unclear whether charges would be filed against them.
In a statement, American Airlines explained that the flight “returned to the boarding gate prior to departure due to a safety problem on board,” adding, “The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority and we thank everyone for their understanding.”
