by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:35 PM ET, Tue July 11, 2023
Being hangry is certainly no fun. It’s likely we can all agree on that.
But how you handle your hangry moments and emotions is another matter. For instance, taking it out on an entire plane of passengers…not so cool.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what a United Airlines business class passenger did this week on a flight from Houston, Texas to Amsterdam.
The United flight was forced to be diverted to Chicago for a landing because of the unruly passenger’s temper tantrum over the fact that his preferred meal was not available. (Imagine how disappointed this passenger would have felt in economy class? But, we digress.)
Reports from multiple news organizations, including The Guardian, said the flight in question took off from Houston at 4:20 p.m. local time on Sunday.
However…..two hours into the flight reports began to surface about a “disruptive [passenger] on board.”
Apparently, an “aviation watcher” who goes by the name of XJonNYC shared internal United communications on Twitter which referenced the temperamental passenger. This same aviation watcher also tweeted that the passenger in question was “was noted to be intoxicated as well, but meal choice seems to have been an enragement point.”
Flightradar24 also picked up on the incident and tweeted about it, noting that the plane was dumping fuel in preparation for landing in Chicago unexpectedly.
In a statement to The Guardian, United Airlines confirmed some of the details surrounding the flight, noting that: “United flight 20 from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to Amsterdam diverted to O’Hare International Airport and landed safely following a passenger disturbance. Law enforcement met the aircraft at the gate and escorted the passenger off the plane. The aircraft then continued to Amsterdam.”
Sigh…it must be so taxing to not get the food you want. All. The. Time.
Meanwhile, Flightrader24 reported that the diverted flight landed in the Netherlands more than three hours late because of the incident.
United Airlines has been impacted by all manner of disruptions lately. In late June,
United CEO Scott Kirby blamed the FAA’s issues with “staffing
and inexperience” for thousands of delays and cancellations at Newark
Liberty International Airport, one of the carrier’s busiest hubs.
On the bright side, the airline also recently debuted a sleek new club at Newark, which is bound to keep more than a few passengers happy. (As long as the club has all the right food choices available to avoid unexpected temper tantrums among guests).
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