A passenger was kicked off a Delta Air Lines flight and arrested after she allegedly refused to end a phone call.
On Monday, Delta crew members asked Shannon Marie Harris, 46, to end her phone call, but she allegedly refused. The plane was preparing to depart from Miami, bound for Atlanta.
Harris reportedly became belligerent, according to an arrest report obtained by WSB-TV. At that point, the pilot ordered the plane to return to the gate, where Harris was asked to leave the plane. She allegedly refused, at which point the flight crew asked all of the passengers to exit the aircraft.
According to the police report, Harris tried to exit with the other passengers but was arrested and charged with misdemeanor trespassing.
In a video taken by one of the passengers that was shared with Fox 5 Atlanta, other passengers can be heard asking Harris to “please be considerate” and to leave the plane.
“There’s over 100 plus people [on the plane], they’re catching flights, they’re going to see their families, to see their kids,” the man said.
At one point, the passengers begin chanting “get off the plane!”
After the entire plane was asked to exit, one passenger, heard in the video, questioned why they had to follow the rules but Harris didn’t.
“So we’re all supposed to listen, but [she] doesn’t?” the passenger asked.
The flight ultimately departed an hour after its scheduled departure time.
A Delta spokesperson told USA Today that the company does not tolerate any disturbances on its flights.
“The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior,” the company said.
The Independent has requested comment from Delta. Information for any legal representation for Harris was not immediately clear.
The FAA requires travelers to put their phones in airplane mode during flights “because of the potential for portable electronic devices (PED) to interfere with aircraft navigation or communication systems.”
In addition to the FAA’s rules about the use of electronic devices on flights, it’s also a violation of the agency’s rules to follow the instructions of the flight crew.
“Failure to follow crewmember instructions may violate FAA regulations by interfering with the crewmember’s ability to perform his or her duties on the aircraft,” according to a 2021 Department of Transportation memo titled “Notice to Passengers on Disruptive Behavior”.
“The FAA may impose civil penalties of up to $13,910 for such violations.”
