Overview
- Video shows the man telling a flight attendant “I’m American, you’re the illegal” and referencing relatives “swimming the Rio Grande.”
- The aircraft taxied back to the gate and airport police escorted the passenger off after crew intervention.
- A jet bridge malfunction forced the plane to switch gates, and the airline evacuated the cabin, causing a significant delay.
- Eyewitness accounts describe the passenger as apparently intoxicated, crawling down the aisle and directing insults at multiple passengers and crew.
- No official statement from American Airlines had been issued as of the latest reports, while FAA civil fines of up to $43,658 per violation remain a potential consequence.