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FLIGHT & FURIOUS: From biting to abusing, here are the craziest airport and plane meltdowns in 2022

There have been multiple instances where passengers have physically attacked, screamed at, or threatened airline employees and other passengers

Traveling may undoubtedly be unpleasant due to the increase in airline cancellations and delays, the protracted lines at the airport, and the pressure to get to your flight on time. Although we lose our temper when things don't go as we planned, some people have pushed their fury a bit too far, breaking into intense meltdowns at the airport or on a plane.

There have been several incidents in the past year, during which travelers have threatened airline employees, yelled at staff, screamed at the top of their lungs, and occasionally even engaged in physical violence. An incident where a lady jumped behind the check-in desk, seized the computer, and tossed it at a staff member was recently caught on camera and posted to social media. The woman was later detained at a Miami airport. On another occasion, a woman who had been told she was too late to check in for her flight climbed up on the counter's top and assaulted a crew member. In another incident, a passenger and a flight crew allegedly got into a fight, which led to hospitalization, when she was allegedly told her child couldn't use the restroom during landing. Here are the craziest airport and plane meltdowns in 2022.

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Passenger's erratic behavior on flight from Pakistan to Dubai

As MEAWW previously reported, on a flight from Pakistan to Dubai, a rowdy passenger startled the other passengers by forcefully smashing the plane's windows after exhibiting a sequence of erratic behavior mid-air. Shocked fellow travelers who witnessed the horrific event managed to capture it on camera. The unruly passenger got into a fight with the flight attendants who were attempting to get him back to his seat, and then he started kicking and smashing the chairs. After Pakistan International Airlines aircraft PK-283 arrived in Dubai from Peshawar, the man was later arrested for his misconduct.

Crew members aboard the aircraft were alarmed and yelled, "Don't do this!" as the man damaged a window shutter in a fit of wrath. They were trying to stop him from having any more violent outbursts. The individual started acting strangely after takeoff and asked to be sent back to Pakistan. The anxiousness of the passengers heightened as they were in midair because the plane had already taken off.

The passenger started to pray in the center of the aisle while he was supposed to be sitting, which attracted strange looks from the other passengers. In one video, the flight attendants escorted a passenger back to his seat from the aisle. The man was seen in both videos without any shoes. He took off his Taqiyah (skullcap) and the vest from beneath his shirt later on in the trip. The flight's captain made arrangements for security to be there for them when they landed when he started acting strangely. The rowdy traveler was caught by the security crew on September 14, 2022, when he arrived in Dubai. Because of his unruly behavior and effort to jeopardize the safety of passengers during a flight, he was held by police in Dubai. After the crew and PIA management spoke, a two-person team was purportedly sent from Islamabad to retrieve the passenger. The man has been prohibited from using the airline company's services going forward because of his impolite behavior.

Alabama mother throws computer at airport staff  after children wander off

As reported previously by MEAWW, on Tuesday, December 20, a woman from Alabama was arrested and charged after it was claimed that she hurled a computer monitor at an employee of American Airlines at Miami-Dade International Airport. A 25-year-old woman named Camilia McMillie is accused of aggravated battery, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.

McMillie, a Birmingham resident, was apparently en route from New York City to Alabama through Miami. She was rebooked after missing her first flight, and she checked in at gate D-39. She allegedly grew "irate and began to scream" after realizing that her two young children vanished, according to Miami police, People reported.

The children had gone to the bathroom, but according to a witness who spoke to WSVN, McMillie went into "panic mode" when the kids disappeared. In a state of panic, the mother began hunting for her kids and even requested assistance from airport security. The mother is shown in a viral video from the event yanking a boarding pass reader out of a wooden counter, causing both physical harm to the space and the equipment.

Jetstar plane forced priority landing after passenger brawl

MEAWW reported an incident on Tuesday, October 11, when a horrifying mid-flight altercation that necessitated a priority landing of a Jetstar aircraft was caught on camera. Just 24 minutes into the journey from Melbourne to Brisbane, the mayhem reportedly broke out. A video shot on board the aircraft captures the chaotic moment when two men started to fight and passengers tried to separate them.

One passenger called the incident "absolutely terrifying" in a statement to 9 News Australia. The traveler remembered, "It was unnerving. There was a commotion, there was yelling, people started standing up, and it went on for a couple of minutes. One gentleman was then escorted to the rear of the aircraft, he had blood on his face … we didn’t hear anything else, we had no information.” According to passengers, one of the men involved in the altercation apparently acted violently before boarding.

"We didn't know what was happening. The guy was aggressive before he got on the plane and we thought surely they won't let him on the aircraft," the traveler stated. The passenger claimed that the plane abruptly started to drop and the captain performed a priority landing. Australian Federal Police escorted the two passengers from the aircraft as it made a U-turn near Mansfield and headed back to Melbourne airport. After the men were removed, the Melbourne to Brisbane JQ582 resumed its flight and touched down two hours later than expected.

Chaos on Southwest Airlines as passenger bites another flyer in the leg 

MEAWW previously reported a chaotic incident that took place in Southwest Airlines. The totally out-of-control passenger who bit another passenger in the leg after trying to unlock the plane door mid-flight claimed, "Jesus told her to do it." On Saturday, November 26, Southwest Flight 192 was en route from Houston to Columbus when it was forced to make an emergency landing at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock. A lawsuit filed in Arkansas district court indicates that Elom Agbegninou, 34, became angry when flight attendants prevented her from using the emergency exit. The woman began banging her head against the floor of the plane while screaming that "jesus told her to fly to Ohio and Jesus told her to open the door." 

When another passenger tried to stop her, Agbegninou bit her in the thigh and did not let go until her jaw was opened forcefully. The victim, who was not named in the lawsuit, was treated at the hospital with antibiotics because she had been assaulted and had developed PTSD. The passenger, Ding Yu, stated, "They were rushing to the back of the plane to help. I was thinking about the worst case, probably that plane will crash, but I know it's a very low probability," as per Daily Mail. According to a court record, Agbegninou came to court on Wednesday morning for a trial, however, her lawyer voiced concerns that it could not progress owing to her mental state. 

Agbegninou later said it was the first time in a long time that she had flown alone and without her husband. In court documents, she explained that she "would not ordinarily have done these things" because she was "very anxious" during the incident. Agbeninou will likely be charged with assault and interference with an aircraft crew.

Odell Beckham Jr booted off plane while slipping in and out of consciousness delaying entire flight

As reported by MEAWW previously, Odell Beckham Jr was booted out of a plane and was reportedly "drifting in and out of consciousness" when the police were called to a medical emergency on a Miami-bound flight to Los Angeles on Sunday. On the busiest weekend of the year, the day after Thanksgiving, the flight was supposed to leave Miami at 9.30 am but was delayed for about an hour and a half. After the NFL star refused to depart the aircraft at the police's request, passengers were made to leave the flight.

A police statement reads, "At approximately 9:30 a.m., officers from the Miami-Dade Police Department, were dispatched to a medical emergency at an American Airlines flight. The flight crew was concerned for a passenger (Mr. Odell Beckham), as they tried to wake him to fasten his seat belt, he appeared to be coming in and out of consciousness, prior to their departure. Fearing that Mr. Beckham was seriously ill, and that his condition would worsen through the expected 5 hour flight, the attendants called for police and fire rescue." It added, "Upon the officers arrival, the flight crew asked Mr. Beckham several times to exit the aircraft, which he refused. The aircraft was deplaned, at which time Mr. Beckham was asked by the officers to exit the plane, and did so without incident. Mr. Beckham was escorted to the non-secure area of the terminal by the officers where he made other arrangements," as per Daily Mail.

The American Airlines statement added, "American Airlines flight 1228, with service from Miami (MIA) to Los Angeles (LAX), returned to the gate before takeoff due to a customer failing to follow crew member instructions and refusing to fasten their seatbelt. The customer was removed and the flight re-departed at 10.54 a.m. local time," as per the outlet.

There is also a video that appears to show Beckham Jr being taken by police to the Miami airport's ticketing area which has circulated. The man who captured Beckham Jr being dragged through the airport responded to Beckham's tweet about the 'comedy hour' by saying, "Forcing us off the plane because you were unresponsive and unruly is not comedy to the hundreds of folks trying to get home dude. Not cool man."

United Airlines attendant hospitalized after passenger attacked her mid-air

MEAWW reported a meltdown incident earlier where three passengers were sent to the hospital after a United Airlines passenger screamed that her toddler had to vomit, causing havoc on the flight and resulting in a violent fight with the airline staff. The incident took place on a flight from San Francisco to Chicago on Sunday, November 13, as the plane was about to land. The flight attendants demanded that the woman sit down despite her protests that her toddler was throwing up. The passenger and the flight attendants got into a violent fight. After Chicago police removed the woman after United Flight 476 touched down at Chicago's O'Hare airport, authorities were quickly alerted to the incident on board. What precipitated the woman's breakdown is unknown.

There are multiple flight attendants swarming the aisle in a video. Attendees could be heard calling the woman "Sarah" who could be seen holding a baby and yelling, "Where is it?" In a distressed tone, one of the female flight attendants was heard saying, "Ma'am we are landing," before abruptly saying, "Sarah, step back. Step back. Sarah step back!" Another flight attendant can be seen rushing to aid out in front of the aircraft as the woman commands Sarah to step back.

After that, the passenger punched a flight attendant, who was subsequently taken to Resurrection Hospital. Another woman and a 3-year-old were also taken to hospitals for observation. United Airlines said in a statement that "a disruptive customer on a flight from San Francisco to Chicago was removed by law enforcement upon landing on Sunday. One member of the flight attendant crew was taken to a hospital for evaluation." The airline also expressed its gratitude to its staff and stated, "We're grateful to our crew for handling this difficult situation with professionalism and for putting the safety of our team and our customers first," reported Daily Mail.