Video Passengers Applaud When Police Escort Woman From Flight After Mask Tirade

Upon landing in Washington, passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, applauded when police removed a woman who was filmed getting angry when asked to wear a mask onboard.Footage from Emir Sfaxi shows the woman, wearing the mask below her nose and mouth, shouting aboard the plane. “If we don’t stand up, it’s only going to get worse,” the woman can be heard shouting. She then is filmed sitting back down and pushing the mask up on her face.Sfaxi wrote: “Tonight this lady refused to wear her mask abord the @AmericanAir flight from Charlotte NC towards #WashingtonDC DCA. She was yelling and gave a speech about ‘tyranny’. The passengers in neighboring rows moved. She calmed down when officers in civilian outfit intervened #COVID19”. Sfaxi posted additional footage showing police escorting the woman from the plane, as the passengers around them clap.In a statement to Storyful, American Airlines confirmed the incident, writing: “The flight crew on board American flight 2198 reported a customer disturbance while en route from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Following multiple requests to comply with mandatory face covering requirements, one passenger stood up and began yelling at flight attendants and surrounding customers. Federal Air Marshals intervened to help deescalate and maintain control of the situation for the duration of the flight. The aircraft landed without further incident and was met on arrival by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police.”The woman has been placed on an internal refuse list pending further investigation, the statement said. Credit: Emir Sfaxi via Storyful