A flight attendant on an Alaska Airlines flight has gone viral after a video surfaced of him repeatedly punching a man who allegedly attacked a female passenger. The incident happened on February 1 aboard Flight 221 to Portland, shortly after takeoff. Reports suggest that the man was having a “violent medical episode” and refused to release the woman until the flight attendant forcefully intervened.
In the video, the unruly passenger can be seen grabbing the woman’s hair while another person shouts, “Let go of her hair!” The flight attendant attempts to free the woman but is forced to punch the man in the throat and torso to get him to release his grip. Eventually, the woman is helped to safety by other passengers.
Later in the footage, the flight attendant is seen pushing the man’s face back into his seat while the passenger screams. The crew member then calls for “another capable male” to assist in restraining him. Witnesses said the man had been behaving strangely before the incident, rocking back and forth and speaking oddly.
The plane quickly returned to Oakland Airport, where authorities arrested the disruptive passenger. Due to the disturbance, the flight was canceled.
Alaska Airlines later released a statement supporting their crew’s actions. The airline confirmed that the man had been banned from all future Alaska and Horizon flights. “He appeared to be experiencing a violent medical episode that involved an ongoing physical assault against other passengers and our crew,” the company stated.
“Our flight attendants’ top priority is ensuring the safety of guests and crew,” the airline added. “Our team handled the situation swiftly and prevented further harm until law enforcement arrived.”
This incident follows another chaotic event on a Frontier Airlines flight from Denver to Houston. On that flight, a passenger became aggressive, kicking seats and even breaking a window. Passengers had to step in to restrain him before authorities took over.
Both situations highlight the increasing number of in-flight disturbances and the challenges flight crews face in maintaining safety during travel.
