United Airlines flight from Sydney diverted due to unruly passenger

A MAN has been arrested after he allegedly launched into a racist tirade and verbally abused cabin crew on a flight from Sydney to San Francisco.

The man was captured on a passenger’s video yelling at flight crew on the United Airlines flight. Picture: Facebook/Neil Kay

A MAN has been arrested after he allegedly launched into a racist tirade and verbally abused cabin crew on a flight from Sydney to San Francisco.

The United Airlines flight on New Year’s Day was forced to divert to Auckland due to the incident.

Witnesses said the American passenger, 42, became angry when two men seated on either side of him, who were described as being South Asian, spoke to each other over him.

A video of the incident, which was uploaded to Facebook, showed the man yelling at a flight attendant who attempted to calm him down.

“If you guys treat people right on these things, you see two last names the same don’t put someone else in the middle of them,” he said.

“I’m not yelling ... you want to hear me f***ing yelling?

“Do you know how cool it would be to have the aeroplane turned around because of me? You are going to do that? You do that? I’m being so impolite aren’t I? Fat ass.”

Posted by Neil Kay on Monday, 2 January 2017

A passenger seated a few rows ahead of the unruly passenger said the situation continued to escalate, the NZ Herald reported.

“The rant progressed from cursing Indians to Asians to Muslims to non-whites in general and calling flight crew f****ts and fat asses,” he said.

“He was subdued after the pilot announced the diversion to Auckland.

“When the flight landed in Auckland he was told to co-operate when police removed him or he would face additional charges.”

Neil Kay, who posted the video on Facebook, called the man a “misogynistic, homophobic bigot” who “verbally harasses kind passengers and physically threatens the wonderful #UnitedAirlines flight crew”.

After being arrested on arrival at Auckland, the man was referred to immigration officials, AAP reported.

Passengers on the flight were put up hotels in Auckland overnight before they continued their journey to San Francisco.

Originally published as United Airlines flight from Sydney diverted due to unruly passenger