DALLAS – A Southwest Airlines employee was hospitalized after being assaulted on a plane in Dallas Saturday afternoon following a verbal altercation with a passenger, according to police.
CNBC reports the incident happened Saturday afternoon during a Southwest flight that was boarding at Dallas Love Field and was headed towards La Guardia Airport in New York.
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A passenger was boarding the flight and went to the back of the plane where she argued with a flight attendant. The flight attendant then told her to leave the plane, police said.
She then went back to the front of the plane and “verbally fought” with another employee before punching them in the head, according to officials.
Police say the Southwest employee was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.
The passenger was arrested and faces an aggravated assault charge, officers said.
“We have a Station Manager with her at the hospital with the full support of her Southwest Family sending our thoughts, prayers, and love,” a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told CNBC.
“Southwest Airlines maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding any type of harassment or assault and fully support our Employee as we cooperate with local authorities regarding this unacceptable incident,” the Southwest Airlines spokesperson added.
The Federal Aviation Administration has reported there have been over 5,000 unruly passengers as of Nov. 9, 2021.