Airline Wars (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

[ominous music]
- [Narrator] In airplanes
- [Passenger 1] Oh my God.
- [Passenger 2] Oh my God.
- [Narrator] And airports
- [Narrator] People
are acting up
and acting out more than ever.
- We gonna [bleep]
all night, bitch!
- [Narrator] In recent years,
unruly passenger incidents
have more than doubled,
and all of it is
caught on camera.
So fasten your seat belts.
[collision and water spashing]
We're headed for the
not-so-friendly skies.
- [Bystander] Hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey.
Stop.
[electronic whoosh]
[tiles flip]
[dramatic music]
- [Narrator] People
spend months, even years,
planning that dream vacation,
but when a problem
at the airport
puts someone's dream in danger,
there's bound to be trouble.
- [Narrator] The irate
mom of two has been told
bad weather may cancel her
flight to a Disney cruise.
- [Narrator] Getting no
satisfaction at the counter,
the woman pleads her case
to fellow passengers.
[bleep]
- [Narrator] It may not
be pretty, but it works.
The airline finally books
her on another flight,
which lands just in time to
make that magical cruise.
- [Narrator] After
an emergency landing
in Rochester, Minnesota,
to help a sick passenger,
this woman is experiencing
an emotional breakdown.
- [Narrator] She's a veteran
and hasn't flown on a plane
since leaving the military
almost 17 years earlier.
[passenger roars]
- [Narrator] According
to news reports,
the woman was
triggered by the delay,
as well as being prevented
from using the restroom.
She began walking up the aisle,
yelling and wanting
to get off the plane.
- [Narrator] She
eventually exits the plane
with police assistance.
[passenger roars]
- [Narrator] After the
police were informed
she was a military veteran,
reportedly suffering from PTSD,
the woman was not arrested.
She was sent to a hospital
for mental health evaluation
and the airline declined
to press charges.
[plane engine roars]
- [Narrator] Sometimes,
a conflict that starts
on the plane
doesn't really flare up
until the passengers get off.
At Kansas City International
Airport, a fight breaks out.
The man in the blue shirt
pushes the other man,
an off-duty pilot,
not once, but twice.
Court documents later say
the incident began in flight.
The angry man claims
the off-duty pilot,
also a passenger, took up
too much space in the aisle
and was disrespectful.
This angle shows
the man in question
tailing the pilot
through the concourse.
He even tries to take
a photo of his badge.
When the pilot swats
the phone away,
the man's anger
seems to boil over.
This traveler narrowly
dodges the altercation.
When the dust settled,
the pilot allegedly
had cuts on his legs
and bruising on his forearm.
The man was reportedly
cited by police
for intentionally
inflicting bodily injury.
[plane engine roars]
A short shoving
match is one thing,
but tense moments at the
airport can get a lot scarier.
It's Sunday night
at New York's JFK,
when suddenly the
sound of gunshots
is reported in the terminal.
[gunshot firing]
[people screaming]
- [Narrator] Panicked
travelers make a mad dash
to get away from the
apparent gunfire.
- [Narrator] The fear
level is ratcheted up
as more people try to escape.
[general chaos and yelling]
- [Narrator] As some
travelers even pour out
onto the tarmac,
JFK is plunged
into total mayhem.
- [Narrator] Report of gunshots
at New York's JFK airport
have sent passengers
into a panic.
- {Narrator] The chaos
spills onto the tarmac
as frightened travelers
try to escape.
- [Narrator] Unable
to locate the shooter,
police search the crowd
for potential suspects.
- No bags.
[camera flashes]
- Narrator] Two terminals
are evacuated.
Incoming flights suspended
and the airport is
in shutdown mode.
After hours of investigation,
authorities determine the
reason for the frenzy.
The supposed shots
fired were the sounds
of travelers cheering,
clapping, and banging on things
while watching the
Olympics on airport TVs.
There were reportedly
no serious injuries,
but the incident
prompted officials
to give all JFK workers
further training
on evacuation procedures
and crowd management.
[airplane engine roars]
- [Narrator] At Chicago's
O'Hare International Airport,
an unmanned catering
cart spins out of control
and ground workers
can't get a grip on it.
[tires skidding]
[ground crew chatters]
It appears a case
of bottled water
has somehow fallen
on the accelerator,
sending the cart
into tornado mode.
The ground crew doesn't
know what to do.
[tense music]
Meanwhile, the possessed
machine circles
and almost smashes into the
plane's front landing gear.
That's when this quick
thinking worker has an idea
and leaps into action.
Looking again, he
dodges the cart
and is nearly slammed
by the swinging doors.
He then runs out of view
and reappears behind the wheel
of a ground support vehicle
and crashes into the
cart, ending the madness.
The airline reported no injuries
and said the incident
caused just one flight
to be delayed by 10 minutes.
As for the fearless employee,
he was honored by the airline
for saving the day.
[vehicles collide]
[dramatic music]
[plane engine roars]
[baby crying]
Flying can be
stressful for kids,
and when they act
out as a result
[child screaming]
That can make things awfully
tough for their parents
and everyone else.
- [Narrator] On an
eight hour flight
from Germany to New Jersey,
this three year old's
behavior has his desperate mom
asking for wifi access
even before takeoff.
[child continues screaming]
[child screaming]
- [Mother] Calm down.
- [Dad] Your mom's right here.
Mommy's here.
- [Mother] It's okay.
Tanner, come over here.
[child screaming]
- [Narrator] Two hours in,
nearby passengers are
definitely frustrated
with the nonstop disruptions.
[child continues screaming]
[more screaming]
- [Narrator]
According to reports,
the screaming goes
on for eight hours
until the aircraft lands
in Newark, New Jersey.
Weary passengers
take their luggage
and what's left of their sanity
and head toward the exit.
[child screaming]
- [Narrator] Everyone on
board, including poor mom,
is glad it's finally over.
[child continues screaming]
[plane engine roars]
Some little kids
may be disruptive,
but usually it's the adults
who cause the trouble.
On a flight to Las Vegas,
news reports state this
woman changed seats
after being seated
next to an infant.
- [Narrator] She
begins hearing it
from the people
seated around her,
but defends herself, claiming
she's done nothing wrong.
Reportedly, the crew asks
the woman to leave the plane.
At least at first, she refuses.
- [Narrator] But she's
about to be accused
of something even worse.
- [Narrator] According
to reports,
after boarding a
flight to Las Vegas,
this woman tried to change
her seat without permission,
then began arguing with the
passengers in front of her.
The crew reportedly
asked her to leave.
- [Narrator] Instead, the
situation intensifies.
[passenger spitting]
- [Narrator] She's
accused of spitting
in the direction of
someone in front of her.
Although this is never proven.
- [Narrator] The woman
finally does agree
to get off the plane.
- [Narrator] After
exiting the plane,
the woman reportedly
tried sneaking back on,
striking an airline worker
in the head in the process.
She was arrested at the airport
and charged with battery.
The woman eventually
pleaded no contest.
She was sentenced to an
anger management course,
fined and prohibited from
flying on the airline.
[plane engine roars]
Everyone who flies
knows that anxious time
between landing and
actually being able
to get off the plane.
It's a kind of limbo that
can make some people lose it.
- [Narrator] A flight from
Kentucky has just landed
at Charlotte Douglas
International Airport.
The fastened seatbelt
sign is still on,
so passengers are
required to stay seated,
but this man, who is
allegedly intoxicated,
doesn't seem to care.
- [Narrator] Passengers
pull out their phones
to record the spectacle.
- [Narrator] The man
sits on the armrest,
but that's just a
brief intermission.
- [Narrator] When
the pilot steps in,
it makes the difficult
passenger even more aggressive.
- [Narrator] The man
makes a mad dash,
trying to shove his way
past the flight attendant.
That's when this hero pilot
finally puts him in his place.
- [Narrator] The man was found
guilty of three misdemeanors.
Public intoxication,
communicating
threats and assault.
[plane engine roars]
Sometimes trouble
starts when a passenger
just wants to stay on the plane.
On this sold out flight
from Chicago to Louisville,
four passengers were
randomly selected
to give up their seats
to airline employees,
including Dr. David Dao.
But he says he can't
miss the flight.
Dr. Dao is due at
a medical clinic
he founded for US veterans.
- [Narrator] Dr. Dao gets on
the phone with the airline
to plead his case, but the
airline stands their ground,
and so does he.
- [Narrator] But
when officers begin
to physically remove him,
the 69-year-old doctor
still won't budge.
- [Narrator] That's when what
started as a calm disagreement
escalates very quickly.
[Dao screaming]
- [Passenger 1] Oh my God.
Oh my God.
- [Narrator] After
learning he was being
bumped from his flight,
Dr. David Dao said he
was needed at a clinic.
- [Narrator] And
refused to leave.
- [Narrator] Now officers
are physically removing him.
His fellow passengers watch
the brutal scene in horror.
[Dao screaming]
- [Narrator] A closer
look shows Dr. Dao's head
getting smashed into an armrest,
[Dao screaming]
which apparently breaks his
nose, knocks out two teeth
and later causes a concussion.
- [Narrator] According
to news reports,
after his shocking removal,
Dao ran back on the plane.
He reportedly
collapsed in a seat
and was taken off the aircraft
by stretcher, traumatized.
He was later brought
to a Chicago hospital
and treated for his injuries.
Several of the aviation security
officers who were involved
were reportedly put on
administrative leave
and two were fired
after an investigation.
- [Narrator] As a
result of the incident,
the airline has discontinued
the use of police
when bumping
passengers off flights.
- [Narrator] As for Dr.
Dao, he settled out of court
for an undisclosed amount.
[plane engine roars]
- [Narrator] It's a typical day
inside North Carolina's
Charlotte Douglas International,
until this man, reportedly
angry about a flight delay,
begins causing a major scene.
[bleep]
[alarm sounding]
- [Narrator] And the
disruptive traveler
also seems confused.
Apparently he was
heading to San Juan,
but he's now throwing a temper
tantrum at the wrong gate.
- [Narrator] As the
bizarre meltdown continues,
airport employees
and shocked onlookers
wait for airport security.
- [Narrator] When
the cops arrive,
the man is placed under arrest.
No further details were
given about the motivation
behind his tirade.
He was later charged
with disorderly conduct.
According to court documents,
the case was later
dismissed by the prosecutor.
[plane engine roars]
It should go without saying,
stripping isn't
allowed at the airport,
but that's hardly the most
inappropriate behavior
you'll see when traveling.
An hour into their
flight from Manchester
to the party island of Ibiza,
two strangers decide to get
the party started early.
It's not clear exactly
what they're doing.
The woman will later claim
it was just a lap dance.
But shocked passengers
take out their cellphones
and press record.
The frisky show
lasts for a while,
even in those
cramped coach seats.
It's hardly the only case
of this kind of
over-the-top behavior.
The passengers here are shocked
to spot what's happening
in the last row.
- [Narrator] The
camera pans to reveal
the seemingly oblivious twosome
getting very cozy
in the back row.
[sexy music]
[plane engine roars]
When it comes to
flagging unusual objects
in the security check,
TSA have seen it all,
even embarrassing items
planted as a prank.
This man is about to
fall victim to that gag,
thanks to his
mischievous friends.
- [Narrator] All is
going well until security
flags a bottle of
water in his bag,
which his friends have
strapped to a sex toy.
- [Narrator] And
he's not the only one
who's fallen victim to this gag.
Another group of men heading
to a stag weekend in Budapest
are stopped by security.
They all take great pleasure
in their friend's humiliation.
[group laughing]
- [Narrator] Even this
unsuspecting woman
becomes the butt of the joke.
[laughter]
- [Passenger] I cannot
believe you did that.
- [Narrator] Yet another reason
not to leave any bag
unattended, ever.