A passenger on a Las Vegas–to–Houston Southwest flight was removed after a profanity-filled outburst that included throwing food at fellow travelers. The altercation reportedly began when the man became upset over another passenger allegedly flirting with his wife. Cabin crew escorted him off the aircraft after he tossed a to-go container of French fries and a plastic bag; witnesses praised the crew for de-escalating what could have become a physical confrontation.
Southwest Passenger's Profanity-Filled Meltdown Escalates Into Onboard Food Fight — Video
Mikeandbo/Instagram
A viral video shows a passenger removed from a Southwest Airlines flight after a profanity-laced outburst that escalated into an on-board food toss. The incident occurred while boarding a Las Vegas–to–Houston flight and was shared on Instagram by the account MikeandBo.
What Happened
The clip, recorded by passenger Zachary Neal, captures crew members confronting the man as he shouted obscenities and challenged other travelers. A Southwest employee is heard telling him, "There's no excuse, so I'm telling you you have to get off," while the passenger continued to yell across the cabin and provoke people nearby.
Mikeandbo/Instagram
"So if your wife's over there talking to another dude, man, you're just gonna sit there and take it like a little bitch?" the unruly passenger is heard saying. He also yelled at those filming: "Put your f---ing phone down," and warned, "Don't make me throw my food at you."
Escalation And Removal
According to Neal and fellow traveler Mike Merrigan, the disturbance began when the man became upset after another passenger allegedly flirted with his wife. Cabin crew moved the woman to a different seat, but the situation escalated when the man yelled across the aisle and then argued with the passenger who was seated near her.
When crew asked the man to leave, he initially refused. A second crew member came to escort him off the plane; the passenger briefly returned to his seat holding a pizza box and then threw a white plastic bag and what witnesses later identified as French fries from a to-go container at other travelers before exiting.
Mikeandbo/Instagram
Passenger Reactions And Airline Response
Witnesses told PEOPLE they were alarmed and feared the incident might turn physical. Neal praised the crew for remaining calm: "Everybody was cool, calm, collected... They de-escalated the situation and Southwest Airlines did an absolutely amazing job handling it." PEOPLE contacted Southwest Airlines but did not receive an immediate response.
Credit: Video posted by MikeandBo on Instagram; reporting includes on-the-record accounts from passengers Zachary Neal and Mike Merrigan.
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