Defiant Passenger Causes Hour Delay After Refusing Simple Request

Clear Facts

• A Delta Airlines passenger was removed from a Miami to Atlanta flight Monday after refusing to end a phone call during taxiing
• The entire plane was forced to return to the gate, causing an hour-long delay for all passengers
• FAA rules require passengers to follow crew instructions and airline procedures, including airplane mode requirements once doors are closed

A Delta Airlines passenger was forcibly removed from a plane in Miami after refusing to end a phone call before takeoff, causing a delay and enraging other travelers who had followed the rules. The incident happened Monday on a flight from Miami to Atlanta, the airline confirmed.

Crew members repeatedly told the passenger to hang up while the plane was taxiing, but the person refused to get off the phone and escalated the disruptive behavior. The defiance came as fellow passengers sat ready for departure, having already complied with standard safety procedures.

“The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior,” Delta said in a statement.

“We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”

The plane returned to the gate, where the passenger was removed. The flight then departed about an hour later than scheduled, according to flight tracker Cirium.

Footage of the incident shows other passengers voicing frustration as the situation unfolded, with some urging the individual to be considerate of others on board. Their patience wore thin as the selfish behavior continued.

“Get off the plane,” one passenger could be heard chanting.

Flight attendants later informed travelers that everyone would need to deplane.

“So we’re all supposed to listen, and he doesn’t?” another passenger said.

“Just get him off the plane, he’s in the front row,” yet another person added.

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog “View From the Wing,” explained that passengers are required to follow crew instructions. There’s no ambiguity in these rules — they exist for everyone’s safety.

“FAA rules require passengers to follow airline procedures, which generally require airplane mode once a plane’s doors are closed,” Leff said.

He noted that while a single phone is unlikely to interfere with aircraft systems, concerns remain about multiple devices transmitting signals at once.

“No one thinks a single iPhone is going to break a 787,” Leff said. “The concern … is that operating together and at scale many devices used by all passengers could create these issues.”

“I do have to wonder, though, about a passenger who just refuses to get off their call,” Leff said.

“That’s going to end badly.”

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.