Dramatic video shows passengers get into a fist fight mid-flight

Wild footage has captured the moment passengers started throwing punches on a plane mid-flight.

Punches have been thrown on a plane mid-flight to Hawaii.

Dramatic video captured the moment an argument between two passengers escalated into a fist fight on a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland, California.

One man was in the aisle while the other was standing in a row of seats, with a woman between them ducking down to avoid being hit, the footage showed.

Passengers and crew could be seen trying to break up the fight.

A video captured two men in a fist fight mid-flight on the way to Hawaii. Picture: @kauai.airbnb via Storyful

The men could face fines up to $US37,000 (about $57,000), according the US Department of Transport.

“Our department has zero tolerance for violent or unruly behaviour aboard an aircraft,” it wrote on X responding to the incident on Monday (local time).

“If you act out on an airplane, you can face criminal prosecution and fines up to $37,000.”

It is believed the men were detained on arrival at Kauai, Hawaii, but it is unclear if there have been any charges.

Passengers and crew intervened, breaking up the fight. Picture: @kauai.airbnb via Storyful

Passengers told Hawaii News Now the fight happened about an hour into the flight.

“I heard yelling, screaming and punches. I turned around and saw one man bleeding and then the other man being separated,” Jim Wieder told the outlet.

“Frankly, I was a little nervous because we’re 35,000 feet and you’ve got two guys swinging at each other, which makes no sense whatsoever.”

Southwest Airlines commended their crew and other passengers for their “professionalism in diffusing this situation”.

“Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our customers and employees. The flight landed safely at its scheduled destination and local authorities met the aircraft upon arrival,” a spokeswoman told news.com.au.

The Instagram user who shared the video of the fight praised one passenger in particular for the way he intervened.

“We all need a friend like the guy in blue,” they wrote, explaining how he calmed one of the men down after the fight was broken up.

“[He] maintains eye contact, uses non-threatening body language and tactical empathy, validates his feelings and offers alternate solutions. Textbook conflict resolution.”