A brawl erupted on an American Airlines flight when passengers refused to wear face masks and were subsequently asked to leave the flight. The chaotic incident, which occurred during a flight from Las Vegas to Charlotte, North Carolina, was captured on video and shared on Twitter by media personality, Caryn Ross. The video shows a heated altercation between two passengers, with one woman wearing a mask while it is unclear whether the other woman is also wearing one. The fight escalated as the passengers continued to exchange blows and ended with one of the women being escorted off the plane by authorities.
In response to the incident, American Airlines issued a statement explaining their COVID-19 mask policy and the events leading up to the altercation. The airline emphasized that wearing face coverings is mandatory for all passengers and stated that they have strengthened their policy to require masks to be worn at airports and onboard. They also highlighted that customers who refuse to comply with the face-covering requirement may be denied future travel.
The video of the altercation can be viewed below.