United States: Unarmed mid-air brawl breaks out on flight to Hawaii; crew and passengers intervene

On a US airline flight to Hawaii, two passengers got into a fight in the air, causing a commotion among fellow passengers and crew. The crew intervened to calm the situation.

The incident occurred an hour after Southwest Airlines Flight 1288 took off from Oakland to Lihue Airport on Kauai. new york post the report said. American media said the argument quickly escalated, with the two men punching and kicking each other. Passenger Jim Wieder recalled hearing yelling, screaming and witnessing punches being thrown that left one of the men bleeding.

A video circulating on Instagram captured the tense moment, in which a passenger wearing a gray hoodie and baseball cap approached another passenger in the aisle, eventually sparking a fight. Although Southwest flight crew and other passengers tried to separate the men involved, the altercation continued and one man punched the other man multiple times in the face.

The chaotic scenes occurred at an altitude of 35,000 feet, causing concern among passengers. The cause of the flight is unclear, with passengers and crew confused as to what triggered the incident. However, despite the disruption, the flight continued to Kauai without diversion.

After landing, local authorities detained two people involved in the altercation for further investigation. While the accusations have not been confirmed, U.S. transportation authorities reiterated their zero-tolerance policy for violence or unruly behavior on board aircraft, warning of possible criminal prosecutions and hefty fines for offenders.

“Reminder: Our department has zero tolerance for violent or unruly behavior on board aircraft. If you engage in behavior on an aircraft, you may face criminal prosecution and fines of up to $37,000,” the U.S. Department of Transportation said on X’s Social stated in a media post.

The in-flight altercation was the latest in a series of disturbing incidents on commercial flights. Just two weeks ago, a JetBlue passenger had to be restrained by other passengers after he insulted cabin crew on a flight from London Gatwick to New York’s JFK.