Plane does emergency landing after homophobic passenger’s angry rant
A flight had to be diverted after the furious rant of a homophobic and misogynistic passenger, according to others onboard.
The US bound flight from Australia had to be diverted to Auckland, New Zealand, following the passenger’s furious rows aboard the flight.
According to the New Zealand Herald, the man was initially angry that he’d been placed in a middle seat.
He then escalated into a furious rant – spouting homophobic slurs and misogyny at anyone who engaged with him.
Fellow passenger Neil Kay told TVNZ: “”He was sitting between two other gentlemen who were super friendly.
“And I think they were just saying ‘hey can you pass me a pen’ to sign some of the arrival documents, just very brief,” Mr Kay said.
“And then immediately he just got up and kind of started verbally accosting both of those fellow passengers, threatening them if they said one word or looked at each other there’d be something that could come from that.”
When two male flight attendants came over to calm the situation he began to shout homophobic abuse at them, he says.
“And he called them terrible homophobic slurs and they kind of left the situation.
“And the captain of the flight crew then stepped in and just like the other individuals tried to handle it very professionally and de-escalate the situation.”
Mr Kay posted part of the row on Twitter, but says the moments caught on camera were much calmer than other parts of his ranting.
Kudos to the professional @united flight crew on our flight from Sydney to San Francisco that was rerouted to Auckland to arrest this bigot. pic.twitter.com/Iwkf9ta8rS
— Neil Kay (@neilmmmkay) January 1, 2017
The man can be seen arguing with a flight attendant on United Airlines Flight 870, which was scheduled to travel from Sydney to San Francisco.
“Do you know how cool it would be to have the airplane turned around because of me? You are going to do that?” he said as she walked away.
“You do that! I’m being so impolite aren’t I, fat ass.”
The man is subsequently taken away by police after the flight has landed in Auckland.
Bigotry and threats on an airline get you arrested and reroutes a plane. Kudos to the professional crew on @united UA870. #UnitedAirlines pic.twitter.com/lb5BJjcuPp— Neil Kay (@neilmmmkay) January 1, 2017
Immigration New Zealand told 1 NEWS that an American National was denied entry to New Zealand as he did not meet entry and border requirements.
As of last night he was in police custody while arrangements were made for him to board a flight back to the US.
