by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:49 AM ET, Wed October 21, 2020
A passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight was filmed striking an attendant in the face during a dispute over not wearing a facial covering.
According to BBC's Suzanna Kianpour-a passenger on the flight from Miami to Atlanta on Monday-a woman who refused to leave her mask on was confronted by a Delta flight attendant before the plane took off.
The video shows the two women having a tense discussion as the passenger inched closer to the employee. Kianpour shared footage of the incident on Twitter:
Passengers began to chatter about how the woman was becoming aggressive and the agitator reached out and slapped the flight attendant.
People sitting around the two immediately stood up to break up the argument and defend the victim.
Another BBC journalist on the flight, Katty Kay, reported the passenger who assaulted the flight attendant was removed from the plane by police and the aircraft was forced to return to the gate at Miami International Airport.
Fights over facial coverings have become common since the coronavirus outbreak began, as a woman was arrested just days ago on an easyJet flight in Ireland after she allegedly refused to wear a face mask, shouted "everybody dies" and coughed on fellow passengers.
Last week, a video went viral of a fight between passengers on an Allegiant Air flight from Phoenix to Provo, Utah, after a passenger allegedly refused to wear a face mask.
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