300 cancelled flights on Spirit Airlines over the past several days led to a fight between passengers and airline employees and police at Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport Monday.
According to CNN, travelers taken off an airplane in Fort Lauderdale after their flight was cancelled approached the ticket counter where dozens of other passengers were waiting in line, leading to a scuffle in which Broward County deputies pulled several travelers from the crowd, taking some to the ground and placing them in handcuffs.
Spirit Airlines cancels flight, passenger brawl breaks out. Some were taken to the ground and placed in handcuffs: https://t.co/oocWVlo2Iy pic.twitter.com/k9G5rIkV6Z
— CNN (@CNN) May 9, 2017
7 News Miami reports that at least three people were detained by police over the incident.
“All of a sudden, one particular flight got canceled, and a mob ensued up here at the front counter, in front of everyone else who had been waiting in line,” Paul Smith told 7 News Miami.
According to CBS News, Spirit Airlines said that its pilots are engaged in an “illegal slowdown” over flying assignments. The airline filed a lawsuit Monday night alleging that its pilots “have been engaged in a pervasive illegal work slowdown” and that some are refusing to take certain assignments, as well as posting online “in a campaign to threaten and intimidate other pilots.”
The pilots’ union told CBS News that it is pushing back against the airline, which is making record profits, and that pilots are not engaged in a slow-down.
Spirit Airlines offered passengers who remained at the Fort Lauderdale airport Monday night vouchers.
Stay tuned to www.travelagentcentral.com for further updates to this developing story.