Alaska Airlines Flight Turns Chaotic as Attendant Punches Passenger Holding Woman's Hair

By Madelaine Panganiban

Updated: Feb 10 2025, 01:50 AM EST

Alaska Airlines Flight Turns Chaotic as Attendant Punches Passenger Holding — An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane sits at a gate at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on January 6, 2024 in Seattle, Washington. Stephen Brashear/Getty Images/Getty Images

A disturbing incident occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight on February 1, when a flight attendant was seen repeatedly punching an unruly passenger who had grabbed a woman's hair.

The altercation took place aboard Flight 2221, which was scheduled to fly from Oakland, California, to Portland, Oregon.

The chaotic scene was captured in a video shared on social media, where the flight attendant was seen striking the passenger multiple times while trying to free the woman from his grip.

According to Alaska Airlines, the male passenger appeared to be experiencing a violent medical episode, which led to his physical aggression towards other passengers and crew members.

The airline confirmed that the flight attendants acted quickly, ensuring the safety of all passengers until law enforcement could intervene.

The flight attendant, in the video, can be heard requesting help from another passenger to assist in restraining the aggressive man, who continued to hold onto the woman's hair despite the flight attendant's attempts to stop him, DailyMail said.

Alaska Airlines Crew Praised for Handling Violent Passenger During Flight Crisis

Witnesses say the woman, whose hair was grabbed, eventually moved to another seat as the flight attendant maintained control over the male passenger.

The flight was diverted back to the gate at Oakland International Airport, and the flight was ultimately canceled after a crew member refused to continue flying.

According to OregonLive, the Port of Oakland confirmed that Alameda County sheriff's deputies responded to the incident, and the disruptive passenger was taken into custody.

Alaska Airlines later announced that the passenger involved in the altercation had been banned from both Alaska and Horizon Airlines due to the violent nature of the incident.

The woman whose hair was grabbed expressed her gratitude for the quick action of the flight attendant, saying that she feared for her safety.

She explained that the man was having a psychotic episode, which led to his erratic behavior. Many online users have praised the flight attendants for their swift response, with one commenting, "Flight attendants don't get paid nearly enough."