Video Shows Spirit Airlines Chaos as Passenger Throws Punches

Footage of violence breaking out on board a plane as police tried to apprehend a passenger has sparked alarm online.

The video clip, which lasts for almost a minute-and-a-half, was shared by Colombian news agency Impacto News on Sunday and reportedly took place aboard a Spirit Airlines flight due to leave Barranquilla bound for Miami, Florida. It shows a packed plane of passengers watching on in horror as a scuffle breaks out when Colombian police confront a man in the aisle. He appears to throw punches as he grapples with the cops, and the melee sees the men knocked left and right into seated passengers as the officers attempt to restrain the suspect.

The video was shared by Impacto News on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. It had already been viewed more than 5,000 times by early Monday morning.

Violence in the skies against cabin crew, police, or fights between passengers has increasingly hit the news in recent years as footage filmed by other flyers is posted online, where it often goes viral. According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), "incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior are an ongoing problem and airlines have seen rapid growth in occurrences since 2021."

Just last month, a passenger attacked an American Airlines crew member, leaving her unconscious in a pool of blood on the jet bridge after he was asked to leave his plane at Miami International Airport. Weeks prior, a passenger on a Russian flight threatened to blow up the plane unless he was given more vodka.

A translation of Impacto News' post, originally in Spanish, reads: "Disturbance on the Spirit Airline flight Barranquilla-Miami. A passenger was expelled from the flight after being involved in a physical attack against several uniformed police officers."

The footage is comprised of two clips filmed inside the plane belonging to the budget airline. It opens on an unruly scene as police and airline crew speak to two men further down the plane's narrow aisle. Another police officer joins his colleagues, and the group appears to begin walking towards the camera to reach the plane's exit.

There is a brief cut in the footage, and the next shot is filmed from behind the group. Three police officers struggle to restrain the suspect, who is now hurling punches and trying to grab them. One officer briefly gets him in a headlock. "F*** you, b****," the man shouts at one point. "I hate you!"

As the officers try to bundle the man down the aisle toward the exit, he falls across passengers who are trapped in their seats next to the fight. Travelers can be heard crying out in alarm as the situation escalates, and a child nearby begins screaming.

The video ends with the passenger shown lying motionless in the doorway at the front of the plane. Only his legs are seen, and it's unclear if he is conscious. An officer can be seen lifting his legs while two others have his arms, and he is dragged from the aircraft.

A translation of a statement provided to Newsweek by Barranquilla police said officers were called amid reports that a passenger was acting erratically. The man, from Poland, was "politely asked" to disembark, but he "reacted in an aggressive manner and attacked the passengers." An uniformed officer also suffered "attacks on his face and right hand and is currently being evaluated" by doctors, the statement said. It did not clarify whether the suspect also suffered any injuries.

The suspect was apprehended and "must answer for the crimes of violence against public servants and personal injuries," the statement said, adding: "The Institution regrets these acts of intolerance and invites citizens to report these type of actions that occur at the country's airports."

A spokesperson for Spirit Airlines told Newsweek in an emailed statement: "Law enforcement officers met Spirit Airlines flight 239, with scheduled service from Barranquilla, Colombia (BAQ) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL), to remove an unruly passenger prior to departure from BAQ on Dec. 17. We do not tolerate aggressive behavior of any kind, and this passenger is no longer welcome on any of our flights. We will provide any necessary assistance to the relevant authorities as they investigate this matter."

Update 12/19/23, 11:46 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comments from Spirit Airlines and Barranquilla police.