Passenger Duct-Taped On Plane After Getting Into A Fight With A Flight Attendant And Breaking Her Nose

Americans are no strangers to people picking up fights during flights. This time, a first-class American Airline passenger assaulted a flight attendant.

According to CBS News, the American Airlines flight to California was diverted to Denver after the scuffle took place onboard. Witnesses claimed that it was a mask dispute, however, news reports have clarified that it was not.

¡°American Airlines flight 976 with service from New York (JFK) to Santa Ana (SNA) diverted to Denver (DEN) due to a passenger who physically assaulted a flight attendant,¡± airline spokesperson Laura Masvidal wrote in a statement to Complex.

#UPDATE: Witnesses said a a man suspected of attacking a female flight attendant, causing the American Airline's flight from JFK to John Wayne to divert to Denver, was having a dispute about wearing a mask. https://t.co/SyrtNVZudS pic.twitter.com/NDtQuEJuIj

¡ª CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) October 28, 2021

¡°The aircraft landed safely and taxied to the gate where law enforcement removed and apprehended the passenger.¡±

According to a passenger named Mackenzie Rose, the fight took place when the plane was over Ohio. She said, ¡°I saw her walk by and she had blood on the outside of her mask, which bless her, she was still wearing,¡± Rose said. She also provided CBS with what she says is a photo of the man who attacked the flight attendant.

NBC Los Angeles reporter Robert Kovacik took to Twitter to share the fact that a passenger was duct-taped after breaking a flight attendant's nose.

#BREAKING: Passenger duct taped after breaking flight attendant¡¯s nose for refusing to wear a mask in first class, according to those on @AmericanAir flight #976 from @JFKairport to @JohnWayneAir. Man arrested, flight attendant hospitalized, @fbi investigating. pic.twitter.com/m0qqSamnw5

¡ª Robert Kovacik (@RobertNBCLA) October 28, 2021

In its statement, AA said it¡¯s ¡°outraged by the reports of what took place on board¡± and that ¡°acts of violence against our team members will not be tolerated.¡±

¡°We have engaged local law enforcement and the FBI and we are working with them to ensure they have all the information they need,¡± it added.

KTLA

¡°The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with American Airlines in the future, but we will not be satisfied until he has been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This behaviour must stop, and aggressive enforcement and prosecution of the law is the best deterrent.¡±