Plane diverted after verbal and physical incident.
Two women were arrested after they allegedly used racial slurs and spat on a man who asked them to stop on an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles.
Kelly Pichardo, 30, and Leeza Rodriguez, 29, from the Bronx, New York, were reportedly overheard using ‘disturbing and unacceptable’ language during the flight.
Advertisement
According to reports, a male passenger asked the pair to watch their language before they responded by allegedly spitting on him.
The man then began recording the women on his cell phone, which lead to Rodriguez punching the device out of his hand.
Advertisement
Check prices and Book Cheap flights and hotels Now
Flight AA776 was then diverted to Phoenix, Arizona, where both women were arrested for verbal and physical abuse of passengers and crew.
American Airlines called their alleged behaviour “disturbing and unacceptable.”
The airline added: “We continue to investigate this incident and are working directly with impacted customers to ensure their well-being. We thank our crew members for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation.”
Sergeant Mercedes Fortune, of Phoenix Police, said in a statement: “Witnesses reported that the two women were using racial slurs when a male passenger asked them to stop using that language. Kelly Pichardo became upset and allegedly spit at the male passenger who had asked her to stop using that language.”
“The male passenger then began to record the two women and that is when Leeza Rodriguez struck the man’s hand to keep him from recording the incident.”
