Brawling Flight Attendants Force Delta Flight to Divert
Jeff Edwards February 01, 2016
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA - MARCH 8, 2013 - Delta Airlines Airbus A320-212 takes off from Los Angeles Airport on March 8, 2013. The plane has a range of 5,900 km with 150 seats.
A cross-country Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an unscheduled landing because of a mid-air fistfight between two crew members.
[Update 2/2/16 11:04 a.m. PST: Per the Chicago Tribune, Delta Air Lines has confirmed the basics of the account and apologized in a statement. A spokeswoman “said the airline sent a letter of apology to the plane’s passengers and offered them travel vouchers or miles in the Delta loyalty program. She declined to say whether the fighting flight attendants were punished or provide any other details of the incident.”]
A Delta Air Lines flight bound from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) was forced to divert to Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) on Thursday after a disagreement between two flight attendants turned physical. The altercation reportedly started over an argument about work rules. The Aviation Herald reports that the two flight attendants involved in the scrap, as well as a third flight attendant who was injured trying to break up the fight, were removed from the aircraft at SLC.
The flight was delayed in Salt Lake City for about 80 minutes before continuing on to MSP. There is no word if any of the crew members involved will face criminal charges, but the airline issued a written apology to each of the passengers on the flight.
“Some of our team members did not display their best behavior,” the apology letter read in part. “We expect our flight crew to be nothing but courteous and professional at all times and what you experienced was far from that. I am sorry we didn’t deliver on our brand promise for you today.”
The apology letter was handed to passengers when they arrived at MSP more than an hour behind schedule. Delta officials told The Salt Lake Tribune that passengers were offered SkyMiles and travel vouchers in addition to the formal mea culpa. “The actions of these crew members in no way reflect the values and professionalism we expect from all of our employees,” the company said in a statement to the newspaper.
[Photo: Getty Images]
So why were the two not arrested? If passengers get into a physical altercation someone is getting arrested but not flight attendants?
Do you mean that the flight made an unscheduled landing in SLC, took on new crew members, and took off again, to arriver only 80 minutes LATE?
I will bet flight attendants meet far more crazy passengers than passengers who meet crazy flight attendants.
Beyond belief. Well, I assume these folks are no longer employed by Delta A N D they had to pay the cost of landing and having the police escort these people off the flight.
Delta upgraded the traditional safety risks, such as ancient planes and duct tape repairs to a more humane and relatable form of air traffic threats.