United Airlines has temporarily banned a woman from flying with it after she caused the pilots to divert the flight following an argument with the crew over wine, the New York Post reported. The woman, whose name has not been released, caused a "disruptive" scene on a flight from Houston to Los Angeles on July 25. The flight had to divert to Phoenix due to the passenger's refusal to comply with flight attendants' instructions to return to her seat, the outlet further said.
Videos of the argument have been posted on TikTok by user Blake Perkins in which a flight attendant is heard asking the woman to take her seat.
"Sit down," the flight attendant repeatedly screams at the woman, the Post said in its report. "Just land," she is heard telling the flight crew member.
One of the attendants then accuses the woman of drinking before boarding the plane.
Mr Perkins said his travel plans were ruined because of the "Karen". "Another video of the karen who couldn't get her wine. We had to land the plane so she could get escorted off and causing us even more delays than we already had. Over wine," he said in the TikTok caption, as reported by the Post.
Later, United said in a statement to The Independent that the flight was diverted to Phoenix "due to a disruptive passenger who continually refused to follow the flight attendant's instructions to return to her seat."
It further said that law enforcement officials removed the passenger after the plane landed, allowing the flight to continue to Los Angeles later that evening.
Incidents involving conflicts with flight attendants seem to be becoming more common. On a Southwest Airlines flight, a passenger was charged with assault after demanding a flight attendant to kiss him and threatening a panic attack if she refused. Another American Airlines flight attendant shared a viral TikTok video recounting an incident where a female passenger attempted to run her off the road after the flight.
