Unruly passenger attacks gate agent after he’s booted from Southwest flight, cops say

A passenger’s “aggressive behavior” forced a Southwest Airlines flight to turn back to the gate at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport before it reached the tarmac, according to the Atlanta Police Department.

The passenger, identified by police as Courney Drummond, refused to comply with flight attendants and became “aggressive” as the plane taxied away from the gate on Tuesday, March 22, a news release says.

After officials escorted him off the flight around 9:20 p.m., police say he threatened a Southwest gate agent several times and assaulted him.

Police charged Drummond with simple battery, battery and obstruction

A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to McClatchy News that Drummond will be banned from flying on the airline.

“We commend the quick actions of the Southwest Team who responded to protect their colleagues during this unacceptable event,” the statement says. “We also appreciate the local law enforcement officers who responded to assist, and we will fully support their investigation.”

Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration says it received 5,981 reports of unruly passengers — 4,290 of which involved masks.

The number of investigations into unruly passengers spiked sharply in 2021, increasing from 183 in 2020 to 1,099 the following year, according to the agency. So far this year, 274 investigations have been initiated.

This story was originally published March 24, 2022 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Unruly passenger attacks gate agent after he’s booted from Southwest flight, cops say."