AA Plane Delayed After Alleged Rant By Flight Attendant
DFW AIRPORT (CBSDFW.COM) - An American Airlines flight about to take off from DFW Airport to Chicago had to turn around and go back to the gate Friday morning after an "incident" involving members of the flight crew, the airline said Friday.
A law enforcement official told CBS News that a female flight attendant was talking on the plane's public address system about mechanical problems with the plane. The official says she was "ranting" about 9/11 and saying the plane was going to crash.
According to the law enforcement official, several other passengers restrained the woman while the jet taxied back to the gate.
American says when the plane got back to the gate, state troopers DFW Airport police met it there and took two flight attendants off the plane. One of the flight attendants was reportedly fighting police as she was put in a police car. The airline says both flight attendants were taken to a hospital for treatment, but American did not say what they were being treated for.
The airline replaced the crew and the plane took off for Chicago later in the morning.
Here's the statement American sent to us at 11:30 this morning:
This morning Flight 2332 had left the gate at DFW bound for Chicago, when an incident occurred involving some of the cabin crew. The aircraft returned to the gate, where it was met by Department of Public Safety officers. Two flight attendants were taken to local hospitals for treatment. We continue to investigate the details and circumstances and will have no further comment at this time.
We will ensure that the affected flight attendants receive proper care, and we commend our other crew members for their assistance in quickly getting the aircraft back to the gate so that customers could be re-accommodated. Our customers were not in danger at any time.
The cabin crew was replaced. The flight departed for Chicago at 9:46 a.m., and is scheduled to land around noon. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers and we appreciate their patience and understanding.
A spokesperson with the Association of Professional Flight Attendants released a statement early Friday afternoon that said:
"There was an unfortunate but non-violent confrontation involving a flight attendant aboard an aircraft preparing for takeoff this morning at DFW. Passenger accounts have been reported in the media but details remain sketchy. The incident is being investigated by the proper authorities with the full cooperation of APFA. APFA representatives have been in contact with the crew, the company, and the authorities and are providing assistance as needed. No one was seriously injured and the flight to ORD did eventually take off with a different flight attendant crew."
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