Passengers on an American Airlines flight from Miami to Charlotte, North Carolina, leapt into action on Wednesday when a woman seated in first class was reportedly assaulted by her male travel companion. The tense situation unfolded mid-flight, with passengers and flight attendants working together to ensure her safety, the New York Post reported.
A video of the incident shared online, captured the confrontation as multiple passengers, including several men, stood up to the alleged aggressor.
Eyewitnesses of the altercation said the man became violent towards the woman sitting next to him. Several concerned passengers intervened after noticing the troubling behavior, with one of them shouting, “Do not f–king touch her,” while getting in the man’s face. The video posted by Epoch Times reporter Arjun Singh showed at least three men confronting the man as flight attendants stood in the aisle.
Another passenger also voiced his anger, warning the man that his actions would have consequences. “Get your f**king hands off of her right now,” he yelled. “You touch her again you’re gonna get f**king arrested.” The heated exchange drew attention from other passengers, many of whom watched as the situation unfolded.
Amidst the chaos, one of the men who intervened asked the visibly shaken woman if she was alright and encouraged her to move to a different seat. As she moved across the aisle, the man reportedly continued his aggressive behavior, yelling out that she had assaulted him first. According to the video, he claimed, “I was assaulted by her,” alleging that the woman slapped him during their altercation.
The woman, however, quickly corrected him, shouting back, “No, you weren’t assaulted. I put my hand over your mouth to make you shut up.”
Despite his accusations, passengers continued to defend the woman, with the second man who had confronted the aggressor standing in the aisle between them as the cabin eventually intervened.
Flight attendants acted promptly to control the situation, while other passengers returned to their seats. The plane landed in Charlotte 26 minutes early, and local law enforcement officers were waiting at the gate. Upon arrival, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers boarded the aircraft and escorted the pair off the plane. Passengers were asked to provide witness accounts of the altercation as the authorities investigated the matter further.
A spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement and commended the professionalism of the flight crew in handling the difficult situation. “Two customers traveling together were engaged in an altercation aboard American Airlines flight 310, with service from Miami (MIA) to Charlotte (CLT) on Oct 2. Local law enforcement responded and escorted the customers from the CLT airport,” the spokesperson said.
“We do not tolerate violence, and we thank our team members for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation,” the statement continued.
At this time, it remains unclear if the man was arrested or charged following the altercation.