Alaska Airlines Flight Viral Video: Man Grabs Woman’s Hair; Watch What Happened Next

A frightening incident occurred on Alaska Airlines Flight 2221 when an elderly male passenger forcefully grabbed the hair of a woman seated in front of him. The flight was scheduled to depart from Oakland International Airport in California to Portland, Oregon, on February 1 at 10:35 AM. However, just moments before takeoff, chaos broke out.

The man, who had grey hair and glasses, suddenly pulled the woman's hair with great force and refused to release it. A male flight attendant rushed to intervene, trying multiple times to free the woman. Despite his efforts, the man did not let go, forcing the crew member to strike his throat and chest until he finally loosened his grip.

A female passenger also stepped in to help, and once the woman was freed, she quickly moved away from her seat. Meanwhile, the flight crew worked to restrain the aggressive passenger. As the struggle continued, the man began screaming and making loud noises, prompting another crew member to assist. The shaken woman was escorted to a safer location.

Due to the disturbance, the plane returned to the gate, and the flight was eventually cancelled. The crew held the unruly passenger until authorities arrived. He was taken into custody and now faces legal action for his violent behaviour.

Explaining the incident, Alaska Airlines told Daily Mail, "The passenger appeared to be experiencing a violent medical episode that involved an ongoing physical assault against other passengers and our crew."

The airline further stated that the man has been permanently banned from flying with both Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air.

In the same statement, Alaska Airlines praised the quick actions of its crew, saying, "Our flight attendants' highest responsibility is the safety of guests and crew on board. Our team responded swiftly to this chaotic situation and ensured all guests remained safe until law enforcement intervened."

The woman who was attacked shared her experience with Daily Mail. She explained, "The man was having a psychotic episode. He banged his head multiple times on my seat, briefly lost consciousness, and then suddenly grabbed my hair close to the scalp."

"Had I leaned forward, he could have pulled my hair out. I was afraid he would punch me in the head. I am grateful to the flight attendant and other passengers who stepped in to help," she added.

The incident caused alarm among passengers, but thanks to the prompt response of the crew, no further harm was reported.