This week, a TikTok featuring a United Airlines passenger who was unruly on a flight from Los Angeles to New York went viral.
After refusing to take the phone off and put on his mask, the man threatens staff and passengers.
This video is just one example of a wider trend of flight passengers who are uncontrollable.
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TikTok's video of a United Airlines passenger who refused to shut off his phone after being asked has gone viral, highlighting a growing trend in disorderly travelers.
The video shows an unidentified male ripping off his mask, yelling at passengers and threatening to get the personal information of flight crew members. According to Travel Noire, the incident occurred on a flight from Los Angeles to which the man refused to switch off his phone before taking off.
The video captures a man wearing a mask saying, "Mind your business, I'll break you neck!" to another passenger who tried to calm him down. Later, police arrived on the scene and escorted the man off the plane.
The original video was posted by @starcadearcade and has received over 6.4 Million views. It is also one of many viral videos. The incident was also captured in two other videos, which collectively received nearly 4 million views on TikTok.
To prevent the spread and spread of coronavirus, federal law requires all passengers to wear a full-face mask for the duration of their flight. According to the United website, passengers who do not adhere to these guidelines "may be refused transportation, fined, and may lose their travel privileges on subsequent United flights."
Insider reached United Airlines for comment but they did not respond immediately.
Crew members of airlines have reported an increase in disruptive incidents over the past few months. This includes travelers who have yelled at and shoved staff members, as well as passengers who have hit, yelled, and yelled at them. Many of these incidents were captured on video and shared online to spark larger discussions about travel safety, COVID-19 precautions and other topics.
Insider reported that Hawaiian Airlines had to divert two flights in a 12-hour period after a customer attacked a flight attendant. Another passenger refused to wear a mask. A JetBlue passenger in September choked a female flight attendant and demanded to be shot on a JetBlue flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration reports that there were nearly 4,000 incidents of disruptive behavior and over 2,800 instances of passengers refusing to wear face masks by 2021. The Federal Aviation Administration released a statement in August stating that it had proposed more than $1,000,000 in fines for passengers this year.
Insider previously heard from Transportation Security Administration employees that they are considering quitting their jobs due to the rise in disorderly passengers on airlines.
"Me and many other coworkers have always felt like we are the bastard kids of the federal government," said a Baltimore screener. He requested anonymity to protect his job. "It's just like, okay. One day closer to retirement for many, many of you."
