‘I Want Off!’ Southwest Passenger Strips Naked, Bangs Cockpit Door, Rubs Against Crew Before Flight Turns Back

On Monday March 3, Southwest Airlines flight 733 had to return to the gate and faced a delay when a passenger on board the Houston Hobby to Phoenix flight approached the front of the cabin while the plane taxied out and said she wanted off the aircraft. She declared herself bipolar and started striking parts of the aircraft. ​

Then she removed all her clothing and proceeded to walk up and down the aisle. She even tried to gain access to the cockpit, banging on its door, and rubbed up against a female flight attendant.

Back at the terminal, law enforcement boarded the aircraft, covered the woman with a blanket, and took her off the plane and transported for medical evaluation. At this point, no charges have been filed. ​

And video…

According to Southwest Airlines,

Local law enforcement met Flight 733 from Houston to Phoenix Monday afternoon after it returned to the gate because of a Customer situation onboard. We’ve reached out to Customers to apologize for the delay and appreciate their patience as our Teams worked to get them to their destinations as quickly as possible.

Passengers were delayed about an hour, and the airline gave out $50 vouchers as compensation – though it’s not clear whether that was delay compensation or for having to see what could not be unseen.

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. At this point, no charges have been filed. ​

    And no charges should be filed. That would be prosecutorial overreach and an indicator that the local prosecutor has way too much time on their hands. This woman was a disturbance and was removed peacefully and given the appropriate evaluation. That’s all we need to know. We can all carry on with our lives.

  2. @Dick — Actually, a good ‘take,’ sir. Hope she gets the help she needs. It’s just sad when stuff like this happens. She’s someone’s daughter. Family should step in and be there for her.

  3. If you are a discerning, elite, and thoughtful guest that wishes to fly with passengers fully-clothed in Earth-friendly apparel, please consider Delta.

  4. She was probably rebooked on a more appropriate airline for this behavior, Spirit.

    It’s fair to mention, some may have thought this was part of WN’s taxi theatrical presentations they’re usually known for.

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