- A Delta flight from Miami to Atlanta returned to gate due to a disruptive passenger
- Passenger refused to end phone call during taxi, defying repeated crew instructions
- Woman was arrested for trespassing after refusing to deplane; faces court on May 15
A Delta Air Lines flight from Miami to Atlanta was forced to return to the gate at Miami International Airport and deplane all passengers on Sunday after a woman allegedly refused to end a phone call during taxi. As per the New York Post, she became "belligerent," and was later arrested.
The passenger has been identified as Shannon Marie Harris, 46, of Tyrone, Georgia. She was seated in business class when flight attendants gave safety instructions before takeoff, WSB-TV reported.
"A customer did not comply with repeated crew instructions to end their phone call while the aircraft was taxiing out," a Delta spokesperson told PEOPLE.
"The customer became disruptive, and the aircraft returned to the gate where [the passenger] was removed from the aircraft."
She was taken into custody along with another passenger, who was not identified.
Watch the video here:
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A viral video from onboard shows fellow travellers pleading with Harris. "Please be considerate," one passenger said. "Consider yourself and the rest of us. There's over 100 plus people [on the plane], they're catching flights, they're going to see their families, to see their kids."
As frustration mounted, passengers began chanting "get off the plane". "So, we're all supposed to listen, and she doesn't?" another traveller asked. "Just get her off the plane. He's in the front row".
The captain returned the aircraft to the gate. A Delta supervisor attempted to get Harris off the plane, but she refused, according to an arrest report obtained by WSB-TV. Then, all the passengers were asked to deplane.
Harris then attempted to exit with the other passengers and was arrested by Miami-Dade police. She faces a misdemeanour trespassing charge and was released on a $500 bond. She is due in court on May 15.
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She may also face additional federal charges. "Failure to follow crewmember instructions may violate FAA regulations by interfering with the crewmember's ability to perform his or her duties," the Department of Transportation states. The FAA may impose civil penalties of up to $13,910 for such violations.
As reported by USA Today, Delta said Flight 1323 ultimately departed about one hour late. "The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior," the airline said in a statement. "We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels."
Why must phones be off on a plane?
The Federal Communications Commission bans any cellular telephone use on aircraft if it's off the ground. Since 2013, the FAA has allowed phones in "airplane mode" during flight, but carriers require them off or in airplane mode once doors are closed and during taxi, takeoff and landing.
