AMERICAN AIRLINES: Passenger Faces Criminal Charges After Outburst at Miami International Airport

We all know that passenger frustration has been a growing phenomenon since the inception of the pandemic. Short staffing, reduced service, long wait times and high prices contribute to the frustration of travellers and staff alike. However, it is a bit out of the ordinary to blame the loss of your children in an airport on an airline employee. I don’t suggest that throwing a computer screen will solve anything, except your sleeping arrangements, which will soon be care of the government.

What’s this all about ?

A passenger travelling from Alabama to New York City via Miami International Airport faces criminal charges after a violent outburst towards an American Airlines ticket agent.

Details of the Incident

According to local police, the passenger was travelling with her two children, aged six and eight, when they separated at the airport. Upon realizing her children were missing, the passenger became visibly upset and began to scream, demanding that the gate agent find her children. The passenger then caused damage to the check-in area by pulling the boarding pass reader off the counter and toppling over equipment. Videos of the altercation show the passenger picking up a computer monitor and throwing it at the gate agent. The two children were eventually found safely in the bathroom.

Consequences

The passenger has been detained and is facing charges of aggravated battery, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct. The incident caused an estimated $10,000 worth of damage to American Airlines’ property. The gate agent sustained bruises to her right shoulder but is reportedly in a stable condition.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

This behaviour is soooooo not OK. While sympathising with the perpetrator on the emotional upset that misplacing your children can cause – throwing a piece of technology at an innocent employee is no way to further your distress or to solve the cause.

However, it illustrates the current frustration of passengers and the kind of abuse some airline employees are subject to.

This is one circumstance where the advice ‘take a deep breathe and count to 10’ should be observed.

This story was written with the assistance of ChatGPT. Images are © Stephen Schuetz.