It’s been a crazy year for violent and disruptive incidents on planes, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any better as we head into the busy summer travel season.
A passenger on a United Airlines flight to Houston International Airport allegedly punched a flight attendant and attempted to exit through an emergency exit before takeoff at San Francisco International Airport.
The incident was filmed by passenger Naya Jimenez who said it happened around midnight on May 1.
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In the clip, a man in a blue shirt can be seen punching a flight attendant as passengers shout “Oh my god!” and stop!” in horror, causing chaos before other passengers physically restrained him.
“After pausing for a minute, he ran to where the pilot was, where the emergency exit doors are, and tried to open it,” Jimenez told the outlet. local. ABC 13. “He managed to open the emergency exit and was about to jump. The plane is elevated so he apparently jumped two floors on the ground, and the flight attendants just kicked it, and everyone took him to a safe place.”
The man was later identified as Cody Benjamin Lovins, 47, of Texas. He was arrested for assault and battery and has since been released.
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United Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement to ABC7NY and noted that airline officials “immediately contacted law enforcement” and cited Lovins’ behavior as a “disruptive” customer during boarding.
It’s not the first time something like this has happened on a domestic flight this year.
Earlier in February, a passenger on an American Airlines flight to Washington, DC, attacked a flight attendant with a makeshift weapon and attempted to escape through the emergency exit before being detained and stopped.
In January 2021, the Federal Aviation Agency sign a zero tolerance order to unruly passengers after a wave of violent incidents on board swept through the industry.
“The agency will pursue legal action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members,” the FAA said at the time.
United Airlines was broken down just over 13% over a one-year period as of Wednesday afternoon.