Disruptive passenger in Trump cap delays Shanghai flight

Passenger Clark Gredona wrote on Facebook that the man felt entitled to several seats next to him because he could not get an upgrade. He berated a female passenger by calling her “Hillary” and a “lesbian,” Gredona wrote.

Elizabeth Aulenbach, a passenger who was sitting three rows ahead of the disruptive man, told The Associated Press that the incident didn’t start as a political dispute but was exacerbated by the “Democratic-Republican fire that rages.”

“He just wanted United to do something, anything, that would allow him to sue them — he even said so more than once,” said Aulenbach, who was flying home to Pennsylvania. She added that United crew behaved professionally.

The airline has been in the spotlight in recent weeks after footage surfaced of a passenger being violently dragged off an overbooked flight from Chicago to Louisville, prompting widespread condemnation and an undisclosed legal settlement.

United spokesman Jonathan Guerin said the disruptive passenger in Shanghai “refused to comply with crew member instructions” and eventually left the aircraft on his own accord.

The flight departed Shanghai five hours after its scheduled takeoff and made an unscheduled stop in San Francisco to change crew. It arrived in Newark at 2:25 a.m. Monday, eight hours after its scheduled landing time.

“We’re grateful for the patience shown by our customers who endured the disruptive behaviour of this passenger, as well as the exceptional poise and professionalism of our flight crew,” Guerin said.

Gerry Shih, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

Disruptive passenger in Trump cap delays Shanghai flight

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