PHOENIX- A physical fight (brawl) forced a Southwest Airlines (WN) plane to turn back to Phoenix (PHX) during its flight to Columbus (CMH), Ohio on December 23, 2024.
The incident occurred shortly after Flight WN1699 took off from Sky Harbor Airport around 7 p.m. Further, it was operated by Boeing 737-700, registered as N441WN.
Southwest Airlines Phoenix Flight Brawl
Southwest Airlines confirmed the unscheduled landing, stating they made a U-turn to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport due to a disturbance between passengers. The airline has begun working to arrange alternative travel arrangements for affected customers.
Phoenix Police arrived at the flight’s gate around 9 p.m. to investigate the situation. Both passengers involved refused to cooperate with law enforcement during their investigation. Officers removed one passenger from the flight before its second departure attempt.
Police documented the incident but made no arrests. The cause of the altercation remains unknown as investigators continue to gather details. The flight eventually resumed its journey to Columbus after the delay.
The disruption affected dozens of passengers who faced unexpected delays in their travel plans during the busy holiday season. Southwest Airlines issued an apology to all customers impacted by the incident.
Similar Incidents
Disruptive passengers forced emergency responses on two separate flights this December, affecting both JetBlue (B6) and Spirit Airlines (NK) operations.
On December 11, JetBlue Flight 209 made an unscheduled landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport after encountering passenger disturbance.
The Airbus A320, which departed from New York’s JFK Airport bound for Santo Domingo, touched down at 9:40 a.m. The flight diverted from its Caribbean destination, impacting the travel plans of passengers during the peak holiday season.
The following day, Spirit Airlines faced a similar disruption when Flight 1317 never left Pittsburgh International Airport. The Tampa-bound Airbus A321 stopped on the tarmac at 9:50 a.m. due to unruly passenger behavior.
Crew members evacuated all passengers, who then took buses back to the terminal building.
Featured Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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