HOUSTON – A Southwest flight from Los Angeles to Houston’s Hobby Airport was diverted Sunday to Corpus Christi due to a disruptive passenger, according to the airline.
Video apparently showing the female passenger being removed from the plane has surfaced on Twitter.
Emergency landing in Corpus Christi on @southwestair flight LAX-HOU due to unruly passenger. Ready to get on home now, please... #hounews pic.twitter.com/IaQAA9tGeU
— Kristy Gillentine Callaway (@KrisGillentine) June 25, 2017
Another Twitter user claims the woman was acting erratically in the airport prior to the flight.
This is a clear failure of many people to #SEESOMETHINGSAYSOMETHING. Erratic passenger never should have been allowed on flight. #hounews pic.twitter.com/bG24tABe40
— Kristy Gillentine Callaway (@KrisGillentine) June 25, 2017
The woman's removal, according to passengers, comes after she was pacing the aircraft, and even threatened to open the emergency exit.
Another passenger says security first confronted the woman at the Los Angeles airport because she was shouting, and seemed disturbed. He said that behavior continued on the flight with yelling. He said he wonders why she was allowed to board the flight in the first place.
"It was already an uncomfortable feeling, knowing this is the same lady that had two outbursts inside..the airport," Terrance Franklin said. "When they asked the lady to board the aircraft, it was clear that there was some type of issue going on."
The diverted flight landed in Corpus Christi and remained there for about four hours after the woman was removed.
Passenger Moses Obregon said, "She jumped toward the door of the exit. Somebody who was sitting down right next to her jumped and grabbed her and threw her down."
KPRC 2 learned one of those helping to subdue the woman was off-duty Cleveland ISD Officer Pamela Minchew.
Passengers who were diverted eventually boarded a flight to Houston, which landed at Hobby Airport around 6:30 p.m.
Read the full statement from Southwest:
“The Captain in command of Southwest flight 4519 today from Los Angeles International Airport to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston elected to divert to Corpus Christi International Airport after flight attendants notified the Captain and First Officer of a potential threat in the Cabin. Following an uneventful landing, local authorities met the aircraft at a gate and removed the disruptive passenger. The safe operation of every flight is our highest priority and we expect the aircraft to depart shortly to complete the journey to Houston.”
