Police: 2 Women Arrested After Fight On JetBlue Flight At JFK Airport
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Two women were arrested Wednesday after they attacked each other as their flight arrived at JFK Airport from Jamaica, police said.
The violence erupted after the plane landed at around 8:30 a.m.
The dispute as the plane started taxiing toward the terminal, CBS2's Steve Langford reported.
A 61-year-old passenger at a window seat tried to climb over another woman, 52, as JetBlue Flight 960 approached the gate, Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.
The older woman pulled out a small blade and slashed her seatmate, Langford reported.
The 52-year-old woman whipped out pepper spray, according to police.
Seven people were treated for difficulty breathing.
Blade, Pepper Spray Used In Fight On PlaneTwo women are under arrest after getting into a fight on plane landing at JFK. One had a small knife, the other had pepper spray. Steve Langford has more, additional details are here: http://cbsloc.al/1KkUctg
Posted by CBS New York on Wednesday, August 26, 2015
The 61-year-old, identified as Jean Ballantine of Brooklyn, was arrested on assault and weapons charges, police said. The other woman, Mary Cannady, of Linden, NJ, was arrested for possessing pepper spray.
WCBS 880's Alex Silverman asked the Port Authority if it's legal to bring eyebrow razors and pepper spray on planes. The agency said if the flight had originated in the United States, and not in Jamaica, those items would not have gotten on board.
The TSA does not handle security outside of the United States. The Jamaicans are responsible for checking for weapons at Kingston Airport, Langford reported.
(TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)