.@SpiritAirlines cancels flights and passengers turn on each other in epic airport brawl. The cancellation chaos – next at 11 on ABC7
A video has captured passenger unrest after up to nine Spirit Airlines flights were canceled at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on May 8. You can watch it above.
According to CBS News, “hundreds of passengers were stranded,” sparking the incident.
One man, who posted a video on Twitter, called it a “riot.”
@nbc @NBCNews Riot breaks out at #FLL over @SpiritAirlines #cancelled flights. People are angry, some arrested. #worstcustomerservice
Another man claimed he had witnessed “police brutality.”
He wrote:
Honestly I’ve never been more disturbed and disappointed by the ones who are supposed “protect” me….
I’ve never witnessed police brutality in my life until my flight was unfairly cancelled at Fort Lauderdale airport @SpiritAirlines
WSVN-TV reports that several people were “detained.” The canceled flights led to “long lines, roiling tempers and disruptive flyers,” on the evening of May 9, reports WSVN. The television station reported that “irate travelers screamed at personnel while Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies attempted to restore order” and quoted a passenger as describing the crowd as a “mob.”
Jose L. Rodriguez wrote along with the above video, “@nbc @NBCNews Riot breaks out at #FLL over @SpiritAirlines #cancelled flights. People are angry, some arrested. #worstcustomerservice.” He also wrote on a photo he tweeted, “you let your customers down today.”
Riot erupted over canceled flight at #FLL to #LGA on @SpiritAirlines
People expressed anger at Spirit on Twitter.
@SpiritAirlines Still waiting for any response from why 2 flights were cancelled, emailed called and on hold for over 3 hours @CNN @FAANews
@SpiritAirlines hmm still on hold it’s going to be 3 hours now
According to CBS News, it all stemmed from a labor dispute. “Spirit Airlines issued a statement saying they filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) — members of Master Executive Council — for ‘unlawful job action by Spirit pilots,” reports the network.
Airlines have taken a hit from passengers over customer service issues lately, as a series of viral videos have hit social media, the most infamous being the moment that a Kentucky doctor, David Dao, was dragged off a United flight. Then, there was the Delta incident in which a California family was kicked off a plane.
You can learn more about the Dao incident here: