Airline Wars (2024) s01e05 Episode Script

[tense music]
- [Narrator] In airplanes.
- Why are you kicking
me off the plane?
- [Narrator] And airports.
- Stop!
- [Narrator] People
are acting up.
- It's only gonna get worse.
- [Narrator] And acting out.
- [Narrator] More than ever.
In recent years, unruly
passenger incidents
have more than doubled
and all of it is
caught on camera.
So fasten your seat belts.
- No, this is wrong. Oh my Go!
- [Narrator] We're headed for
the not-so-friendly skies.
[intense music]
- [Narrator] Airline
drama is on the rise.
We're inundated with
stories of meltdowns,
misconduct, and all-out brawls
across the world.
And back in 2021, the madness
reached a boiling point.
The global pandemic
made masks mandatory
and total FAA fines against
problem passengers skyrocketed
from 600,000 to
$5 million a year.
- If we don't stand up,
it's only gonna get worse.
- [Narrator] In another
incident, this woman was asked
to fix her mask after allegedly
wearing it improperly.
She's resisting, but
this mini rebellion
is getting her nowhere
except off the plane.
[passengers cheering]
She's not the only passenger
who doesn't like to
be told what to do.
- [Narrator] On a
flight to Las Vegas,
this woman is upset
over, you guessed it,
having to wear a mask.
- What are you doing,
huh? What are you doing?
What are you doing?
What are you doing?
Fly the plane, what
are you doing?
- [Narrator] The pilot
tries to calm things down.
- [Woman] I'm trying!
- [Passenger] There's
all this commotion.
- [Narrator] But it's
clearly not working.
- [Passenger] Oh my God.
- [Passenger] Call the security.
- [Passenger] I
don't feel safe too.
- Tell me what's going on.
Nobody on this airplane
is wearing a mask.
- [Narrator] Nobody except
all of these people,
but she suggests a different
reason for the conflict.
- What's going on? Why are
you kicking me out the plane?
'Cause I'm white?
- [Narrator] This final outburst
does nothing for her case
and the agitated woman is
ordered to leave the plane,
which the remaining
passengers don't mind at all.
[passengers applauding]
- [Passenger] Woo!
- [Narrator] After some
parting shots, she leaves
and yet another mask-related
showdown is finally over.
- What's going on? Why are
you kicking me off the plane?
[plane engine roars]
- [Narrator] It's a
cardinal rule of traveling,
never leave your bag unattended.
And this is why.
- [Narrator] At Cleveland's
Hopkins International Airport,
a passenger was waiting
to board his flight
when nature called.
Moments later, his
bag is missing.
- [Officer] You say
your ID's in there also?
- [Narrator] Luckily, this
officer is on the scene
to offer some assistance.
- [Officer] What
time's your flight?
Seven, seven.
- Seven?
Let me just double
check over here.
- [Narrator] After
checking security footage,
the officer tracks a man
who seems to have brought the
bag to a departing plane.
- [Narrator] The officer
boards the aircraft
where he makes a
shocking discovery.
- [Officer] What's your
name? Let me see your ID.
- [Narrator] The man in question
is actually a flight attendant.
- [Officer] What happened?
- Well, sir, I saw
an unattended bag
and I was gonna present
it to the gate agent
when he was done boarding
because he was unaware.
Like, nobody was aware--
- [Officer] So you're gonna
take an unattended bag,
that you don't
know what's in it,
and you're gonna
take it onto a plane
that's going somewhere with
all these people on it.
- No, sir, I did check the bag.
- [Narrator] While the flight
attendant is questioned,
the officer returns the missing
bag to its rightful owner.
- Why don't you go through here
and check and see what's missing
if there's anything missing.
- Stolen?
- [Narrator] The
young man is relieved
to find that everything's there.
Although the flight
attendant was never charged,
the airline later reported
that he was fired.
As for the officer
who saved the day,
his good deed doesn't
go unrewarded.
- [Officer] Hey, sure, man.
[plane engine roaring]
- No, no!
[passengers clamoring]
- [Narrator] Plenty
of conflicts break out
in the close quarters
of an airplane.
And sometimes, they spill
over right into the airport.
- [Narrator] This war
of words was all caught
on security body cams.
- [Narrator] The friction
reportedly started midair
when a group of women
allegedly began taunting
another female passenger
and the back and forth
continues on the ground.
- [Narrator] Another
officer intervenes
and before he knows it,
the women are in his face.
- [Narrator] Suddenly,
it's an all-out brawl.
- [Officer] Hey,
hey, hey, hey, hey.
Stop, stop, stop.
- Let go of me!
- [Officer] Hey, hey, hey, hey.
[indistinct struggling]
- [Narrator] An airport
officer has his hands full
as he tries to break up a
heated, verbal altercation
between these six women.
- [Narrator] Once
fists start flying,
another officer intervenes.
[indistinct struggling]
- [Officer] Hey,
hey, hey, hey, stop.
- [Narrator] But
it's still not enough
to get the situation
under control.
[indistinct struggling]
- [Officer] Hey, hey.
- [Officer] Hey, hey. Stop,
stop, stop, stop, stop.
- [Narrator] Then
suddenly, the guard spots
what appears to be a weapon.
- [Narrator] That's when
security finally manages
to get the women
out of the airport
and into police custody
where all six of them
were later arrested and charged
with disorderly conduct.
[plane engine roaring]
- [Narrator] Sometimes,
the trouble starts
before passengers even
get on the plane,
as is the case with this woman.
- [Narrator] At Dallas
Fort Worth International,
she reportedly began yelling
while at the check-in counter,
was told to sit down,
then attempted to board the
flight without permission.
- [Recorder] I saw you
run through the door
when you weren't supposed to
and I saw him push you out.
- [Recorder] Boo-hoo.
Boo-hoo.
- [Officer] You're not
helping, you're not helping.
- [Recorder] Excuse me?
- [Narrator] According
to the airline's
customer service rep,
when the woman was denied
access to her flight,
she allegedly ran to
the jet-bridge door
in an attempt to get through.
Then a male passenger
allegedly pushed her
away from the door,
causing her to fall.
- [Narrator] Eventually,
the woman was detained
and removed from the airport.
[plane engine roaring]
- [Narrator] Boarding a
plane without permission
usually doesn't end well.
Here, a college professor
wound up laying flat on
her back in the aisle.
- [Narrator] The airline claims
the woman pushed past the gate
and boarded the aircraft
heading from
Detroit to San Diego
without following proper
check-in procedures.
- [Narrator] According
to news reports,
when police ordered her
to get off the plane,
the woman refused.
Passengers say the police
then removed the woman
from her seat by force.
And that's when she fell
to the floor in protest.
She later pled guilty
to disorderly conduct.
[plane engine roaring]
- [Narrator] At Bali
International Airport,
a man was reportedly removed
from a plane about to depart
after being accused of
banging on the cockpit door.
And now in an airport lounge,
he's climbed over a railing
and onto a narrow ledge
above a deadly 80-foot drop.
A good samaritan has
climbed out onto the ledge,
trying to coax the
man back to safety.
But after 90 terrifying minutes,
the man still won't budge.
That's when the good samaritan
makes a life-and-death decision.
- [Narrator] At Bali
International Airport,
a man is teetering on a
ledge 80 feet up in the air.
A good samaritan has been trying
in vain to reason with him.
Until he finally decides
it's time to act.
He pushes the man back over
the railing, saving his life.
The man was sedated and
taken to the hospital
for medical evaluation.
He later told the media that
he wanted to bring attention
to government issues.
No charges were filed
in the incident.
[plane engine roaring]
Maintaining order at
37,000 feet isn't easy.
- No, no!
- [Narrator] Especially when it
comes to disorderly passengers.
According to news reports,
on a flight from Reykjavik,
Iceland to New York,
this man allegedly
became belligerent
and had to be restrained
by fellow passengers.
[man groaning]
- [Narrator] The airline
told news outlets
it actually carries duct tape
and plastic handcuffs on board
for situations like this.
- [Narrator] News reports
said the man was restrained
because he allegedly yelled
the plane was going to crash,
spat at other passengers,
and attempted to choke
the woman next to him
after drinking a bottle
of duty-free alcohol.
After the unruly man is
secured and silenced,
[man groaning]
for the most part,
flight attendants monitor his
safety throughout the journey.
- [Narrator] When the
plane landed in New York,
he was taken by authorities
to a nearby hospital
for evaluation.
[man groaning]
The airline did
not press charges.
[plane engine roaring]
People aren't the only
ones wreaking havoc
on planes and in terminals.
It's almost 8:00 PM at Lambert
St. Louis International,
Missouri's largest airport,
and it's literally the
calm before the storm.
- [Narrator] The strongest
tornado to hit the region
since 1967 is just seconds away.
And it lands with a vengeance.
As the twister barrels
through Terminal One,
it's a mad scramble
to take cover.
[tense music]
With wind gusts up
to 200 miles an hour,
the damage is severe.
[glass shattering]
[people screaming]
Large sections of the
airport's roof are blown off
and more than half of its
windows are shattered.
Incredibly, no major
injuries were reported
and the airport was only
shut down for 24 hours.
[plane engine roaring]
Threats from the sky
don't just come courtesy
of Mother Nature.
It's 6:46 PM in San
Leandro, California.
Dash-cam footage shows what
seems like a typical drive
along Interstate 580, until
- Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
- Oh my God.
Oh my gosh, oh my Gosh.
- [Man] I told
you that guy was low.
- [Woman] Oh my gosh.
- [Narrator] Heavy traffic is
nothing compared to the shock
of seeing a single-engine Cessna
touch down right
in front of you.
- Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.
- Oh my gosh.
- [Woman] Making an
emergency, oh my gosh.
Oh my gosh. Oh, back up, people.
Hello? There's a plane in
front of you, you idiot.
What are you doing?
- [Narrator] But apparently
in the state of California,
sightings like these
aren't that rare.
- [Woman] Holy (bleep).
What the (bleep)?
- [Narrator] This video
shows a Piper aircraft
narrowly missing the power lines
and landing in the middle of
an interstate in El Cajon.
- [Woman] Holy (bleep).
- [Man] He's got
it under control.
- [Woman] That is the craziest
(bleep) thing I've ever seen.
- [Man] He pulled
it off perfect.
[woman laughing]
- [Man] Look at this, Bubba.
There's an airplane
on the freeway.
- [Narrator] Then again, maybe
it's not just California.
This is Talladega
County, Alabama.
- [Woman] Oh gosh.
- [Man] Are they okay?
- [Woman] Why is the plane not
getting off on the inter
Like, why?
Okay, he's pulling over.
Let's pull over and make
sure everybody's okay.
- [Narrator] The forced landing
was actually due
to engine failure,
but it also allows him to take
care of another emergency.
- [Narrator] These
spontaneous touchdowns
didn't cause a single injury.
- [Woman] What the (bleep)?
- [Narrator] A minor miracle
because highways aren't
supposed to be runways.
[woman laughing]
[plane engine roaring]
- [Narrator] Alcohol
mixed with air travel.
It often makes for a
very nasty cocktail.
With passengers
preparing to board
at Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport,
an older man is being taunted
by a visibly
intoxicated traveler.
The older man captures
it on his phone,
which is not
received well at all.
- [Narrator] Another
traveler standing nearby
noticed the exchange
and also hit record.
- [Narrator] And then,
all hell breaks loose.
- [Narrator] At Dallas-Fort
Worth International Airport,
this man is being accosted
by a visibly
intoxicated traveler.
So far, it's just
been a war of words,
but that's about to change.
- [Narrator] Then, all
hell breaks loose.
- Yeah.
(bleep).
[passengers yelling]
- [Passenger] Don't do that.
- Hey!
- Don't do that.
- (bleep).
- [Narrator] It takes one police
officer and five civilians
to bring the
belligerent man down.
- Hey!
- Don't do that.
- [Narrator] Unfortunately,
the mass of humanity
lands on this good
samaritan's ankle.
- [Narrator] As the injured
good samaritan is wheeled away,
the boozed-up brawler, now
face down and handcuffed,
still has plenty to say.
- [Narrator] The man
was later found guilty
of public intoxication
and simple assault.
Thanks to the footage shot
by an alert bystander,
the authorities have
plenty of evidence.
[plane engine roaring]
US airlines generally allow
service animals like dogs
to fly in the cabin
with their owners.
But in one case, a
dog owner's defiance
kept her and her pooch
from going anywhere.
- Is this your dog?
- Yes, it's my dog.
- [Narrator] An express
flight about to take off
from Salt Lake City
returned to the gate
when this woman refused to
put her dog in its carrier.
Officers have now
boarded the plane
to address the situation.
- [Officer] Okay.
Captain's requesting that
you get off the flight,
so you'll need to take
your dog with you.
- [Woman] And I
want my money back
before I get off this plane.
- [Officer] No, you're
gonna get off first
and then you can discuss
getting a refund.
- [Narrator] The dog was
reportedly snapping at the crew
and his owner is not exactly
making any friends either.
- This is the worst
airplane I have ever been
- [Officer] Hey, listen. You're
holding up this whole plane.
- I don't care,
you're holding me up.
- [Officer] Hey, you're
gonna go to jail or--
- I'm not gonna go
to jail, mister.
You're looking to
the wrong lady.
- [Narrator] According to
the airline's regulations,
any animal traveling in the
cabin must remain in the carrier
and under the seat at all times.
- [Officer] Stand up.
[woman screams]
- [Narrator] The
passenger and her dog
are eventually
escorted off the plane,
but not without a fight.
[woman screams]
[indistinct screaming]
According to police, the
woman had a medical condition,
so no charges were
filed against her.
[plane engine roaring]
Lately, a wild assortment
of other creatures
has really put service-animal
policies to the test.
Like Dexter, the peacock,
who was set to board a flight
at Newark International
with his human,
until the airline said no.
[peacock squawks]
As for Rocky, the parrot,
much to the delight
of his loving owner
- [Passenger] Oh my Lord.
[Rocky whistles]
- I know.
- [Narrator] He was able to let
someone else do the
flying for once.
[Rocky whistles]
- [Narrator] But it's
not just passengers
that bring animals
to the airport.
Officials in San
Francisco hired LiLou
to be the world's first
certified airport-therapy hog.
This pig doesn't fly.
His job is to calm nervous
travelers on the ground
and look good in pink
nail polish doing it.
[plane engine roaring]