Passenger Armed With Shoe Violently Defends Empty Seat
Jeff Edwards April 30, 2015
An argument over a passenger’s decision to move to a vacant seat turned into an all-out melee on a recent Oman Air flight.
When a passenger on an Oman Air flight from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Muscat International Airport (MCT) decided to move to an unoccupied seat for a little extra room, another passenger objected to the perceived invasion of personal space. The ensuing argument escalated into a brawl, with one of the passengers attacking the other with a shoe.
According to the Irish Mirror, the trouble started about three hours into the flight Saturday, when a disagreement over the empty seat turned ugly. Other passengers quickly scrambled to protect a nearby infant from the physical altercation.
“It really was a really nasty incident,” one eyewitness reported. “One guy completely lost the plot and started throwing several punches. Eventually the flight crew was alerted and managed to calm him down.”
“The flight, WY102 from London Heathrow, landed on time and safely at the Muscat International Airport. On arrival, Airport Security carried out the usual procedures of investigation,” Oman Air said, downplaying the incident in a statement to Daily Mail. “Oman Air would like to thank the cabin crew for managing this situation calmly and professionally.”
Once the heated incident defused and the disgruntled passenger was convinced to lay down his shoe, the pilot decided to continue to MCT without making a diversion. The shoe-brandishing passenger was detained by authorities who met the flight when it landed.
[Photo: iStock]
