Sarah Button had her seat picked out well before boarding, a back-corner business-class spot she'd chosen specifically for the long haul from the United States to Australia. The content creator told Yahoo Lifestyle that she'd barely settled in when she clocked another passenger watching her.

"Oh, you wouldn't mind moving [seats], would you?," the woman asked Sarah. She told Yahoo Lifestyle that the woman asked for the seat swap because she wanted to sit next to her partner.

Sarah, however, declined to move. She told Yahoo Lifestyle that she had recently switched seats on another flight to accommodate a family, and it was an awful experience. Thus, she vowed to never do it again.

She's not one to leave seating to chance. Sarah told the outlet she pre-selects her seat on every flight she takes, a habit built specifically to avoid situations like this one.

As Sarah refused to move, the woman simply replied: "It's going to be a very long flight for you, then," Sarah told Yahoo Lifestyle.

She wasn't bluffing. She followed through on her promise, and made sure the rest of Sarah's flight was as unpleasant as she could make it.

"It was just so rough, and the whole time, she was leaning over to her husband," Sarah said, adding that the passenger was pointing at her and taking photos of her.

Sarah felt uncomfortable, so much so that she asked a Jetstar flight attendant to intervene and get the woman to stop. But that barely made a dent.

The passenger even leant over and started heckling the Aussie when she was taking photos of herself during the flight. Sarah claimed that the passenger also restricted her ability to get up to use the bathroom.

Beyond that, Sarah said, her options were limited. Making a bigger scene risked drawing even more attention her way. So she chose to sit with the discomfort instead. She called the power play "f*****g weird" and chose to be "passive" and just let the woman have her way.

"I was just like, 'there's no way. There's no way this is happening'. I didn't have a script for that," Sarah told Yahoo Lifestyle, adding that she did not prepare for that, especially "[flying] business".

When they were disembarking, Sarah figured an apology was coming, at the very least from the woman's husband. It never came. She posted a video of the incident on TikTok las week, which she captioned: "Lady on the plane kept taking photos of me after I didn't agree to change seats, asked the attendant to ask her to stop and she told him I'm an 'influencer' and that was apparently reasoning enough."

In the comments, one user wrote: "Her lack of planning doesn't make it an emergency for you."

Another user shared a similar story: "A British woman was so mad I wouldn’t switch seats with her on a 1.5 hour flight she proceeded to take pictures of me, then text her friends in Portuguese to call me a dumb American (I’m Canadian) lol."

Related story: American Airlines Passenger Accused of Stealing Seat After Hers Breaks

I went looking for every documented Ryanair accident and incident I could find, going back to 2008. Here's what the numbers say.

A quick note on the data first. This research covers incidents I could find publicly documented between 2008 and 2026, sourced from news archives, AFP, the Independent, NDTV, the Daily Record and Wikipedia.

Ryanair has been flying since 1985. Therefor this isn't the airline's complete accident history. It's what I could verify and source over an 18-year window. If something happened before 2008, or simply wasn't well covered by English-language press, it's not in these totals. I'd rather be upfront about that gap than pretend this is exhaustive.

Total Number of Accidents

Between 2008 and 2026 Ryanair has had 10 documented accidents . That includes cabin decompressions, near-misses, ground collisions, a bird strike, a politically motivated forced diversion and one uncontained engine failure. Spread across 18 years of flying, for one of the largest low-cost carriers in the world, that's a relatively short list.

2008 - Ryanair Flight 4102 - On 10 November 2008, Ryanair Flight 4102, a Boeing 737-800, was traveling from Germany to Italy when it suffered multiple bird strikes while landing. There were 172 people on board the Boeing 737-8AS. Of those, two crew and eight passengers suffered minor injuries. The aircraft sustained a massive amount of damage. Which led to it being written off. This accident was the only hull loss of a plane operated by Ryanair. It was the fourth hull loss of a Boeing 737-800. [Wikipedia].

Number of Fatal Crashes

Zero. Not one of the 10 incidents I found resulted in a death. Not the decompression over France in 2008. Not the near-misses over Spain. Not the engine failure in 2026 that nearly pulled a passenger out of the cabin. Everyone involved in every incident on this list walked away with their life.

Number of Non-Fatal Crashes

All 10. Every single incident in this research ended without a fatality. Some ended with minor injuries, 16 passengers on the 2008 France flight, 10 people on the 2008 bird-strike flight. But nobody died. And I think this is worth sitting with for a second. That's because it cuts against the airline's reputation. Ryanair takes a beating online for its customer service, its fees, its baggage policy, its seating. Fair criticism. Plenty of it.

But based on everything I could find in the public record, the airline hasn't had a single passenger or crew fatality in the 18 years I researched. Reputation for being cheap and unpleasant to fly? Sure. Reputation for being unsafe? The data I found doesn't support that.

2008 - Ryanair Boeing 737 - In 2008, a Ryanair aircraft, a Boeing 737 bound for Barcelona, suffered a sudden loss of cabin pressure and thus, had to make an emergency descent of 26,000 feet while flying over France. There were 168 passengers and seven crew onboard the Boeing 737, which took off from Bristol in England and was heading to Barcelona in Spain when it suffered what French police described at the time as a "brutal decompression". Of the 168 passengers, 16 suffered minor injuries. Some passengers thought they were going to die after hearing a "loud and unnerving sound" as the cabin pressure dropped.

One such passenger, Charlotte Thorthon, a 22-year-old British medical student, told AFP that she sent her mum a text: "I love you and I am going down," adding: "I called her half an hour later and she couldn't believe I was OK." [France24].

On July 22, 2026, Ryanair passengers traveling from Faro in Portugal to Exeter Airport instead found themselves in Birmingham after a "problem with the aircraft".

The Ryanair flight FR8030 was scheduled to land at 6.55pm at Exeter Airport but suddenly changed course when the pilot announced that "due to a problem with the aircraft, we needed a longer runway and we were being diverted to Birmingham," DevonLive reported. The plane touched down safely in Birmingham and all passengers were transported from there to Exeter. None of the passengers sustained any injuries.

Number of Hijackings

One incident that resembles a hijacking, though it's not a clean fit for the category. On May 23, 2021, Ryanair Flight 4978, a Boeing 737-800, was traveling to Vilnius Airport, Lithuania, from Athens International Airport, Greece, when it was diverted by the Belarusian government to Minsk National Airport. Belarus authorities, due to alleged claims of a Hamas bombing attempt, arrested two of the plane's passengers, journalist Roman Protasevich and his then girlfriend Sofia Sapega. After seven hours, Belarus authorities allowed the aircraft to depart , reaching Vilnius eight and a half hours behind schedule.

No injuries were reported.

Even so, the EU, NATO, Canada, the UK, and the US, among others, condemned the act. Russian officials, meanwhile, backed Belarus. [Wikipedia].

Near-Miss Incidents

Two confirmed near-misses, both involving two Ryanair aircraft at once. In early October 2018, two Ryanair passenger planes, both Boeing 737-800 jets, almost crashed in mid-air over Spain. The planes were reportedly 400ft apart vertically, a distance close enough to be deemed a "near miss". According to Spanish investigators, flight crews avoided the collision by diverting the planes after alarms sounded in the cockpit. One plane was flying from Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to Palma de Majorca and the other was traveling from Seville, Spain, to Toulouse, France.

The flight crews both adjusted their courses and continued to their destinations without any incidents. No one was injured. [Metro].

Then on September 11, 2019, two Ryanair passenger planes had a near miss, almost colliding at Malaga airport in what investigators had called a “serious incident”. According to Spain’s civil aviation authority, one Ryanair flight had been given permission to take off from a runway on which another Ryanair flight had been given permission to land. The distance between the two aircrafts, both Boeing 737, was reportedly, at its closest, 520 metres, 16% of the minimum recommended safety margin.

Per the official report, the Ryanair flight on approach was travelling faster than the Ryanair flight on take-off, "increasingly reducing the separation between the aircraft”. The plane landing was carrying 186 people, while the one taking off had 185 people onboard. No one suffered injuries. [Independent].

Ground Collisions and Taxiway Incidents

Three incidents involved ground contact rather than in-flight emergencies. On Wednesday 4 October, 2023, a Ryanair flight from Luxembourg collided with a truck as it touched down at London Stansted Airport. The plane reportedly collided with the truck, which was designed to transport passengers requiring mobility assistance, as it pulled up to the gate.

Video footage shared on social media captured the truck as it approached the aircraft, with the driver trying to reverse the vehicle at the last minute. However, it wasn't enough to avoid the collision with the aircraft's wing. No one had been injured in the incident.

On Jun 20, 2025, Ryanair flight FR6080, a Boeing 737, from London crashed into a runway barrier at Kalamata International Airport in Greece. The plane's wing had been damaged as a result of the incident. The aircraft reportedly collided with the barrier shortly after it safely landed at the airport. Flight FR6080 had landed safely, but its "wing tip came in contact with a fence as it was taxiing," said a spokesperson for Ryanair. Passengers disembarked normally with no injuries. [NDTV].

Then on December 22, 2025, a Ryanair aircraft collided with a fuel tank shortly before take-off at Edinburgh Airport in Scotland. Bound for Faro, Portugal, the plane came into contact with the cab of the fuel truck. Passengers disembarked from the plane with no injuries and a replacement aircraft was arranged. The incident had "no impact" on operations at the airport that day, Edinburgh Airport confirmed, adding that there were no injuries and there was no fire. [Daily Record].

Number of Boeing Aircraft Accidents

All 10 documented incidents involved Boeing 737 aircraft, spanning the 737-800 and later 737 variants. That's not surprising. Ryanair operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet. So every incident in the airline's history is, by definition, a Boeing incident. I found no Airbus-related incidents to report, since Ryanair doesn't fly Airbus aircraft.

Notable Incidents by Year

The only incident with a serious injury on this list is the most recent one, Flight 1879 in July 2026, when a Boeing 737 traveling from Thessaloniki to Memmingen suffered an uncontained engine failure. Consequently, a cabin window was destroyed by debris, resulting in a rapid decompression and a 61-year-old passenger to be partially sucked out of the cabin. The passenger's wife held onto his legs. And with the help of other passengers, she saved her husband from being ejected from the cabin.

The plane made an emergency return to where it departed from, and the victim was admitted to hospital. The victim survived his injuries and subsequently recounted his ordeal in an interview with the Guardian.

It's the closest thing to a catastrophic outcome in everything I found, and even that ended without a death.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Ryanair ever had a fatal crash?

As of the time of this article, no, Ryanair has never had a fatal crash.

How many Ryanair planes have been hijacked?

One incident resembles a hijacking: the 2021 forced diversion of Flight 4978 by the Belarusian government, though it was a state action rather than a conventional hijacking.

Is Ryanair a safe airline?

Based on the public record I researched, Ryanair has had zero fatalities across a documented 18-year span, despite frequent complaints about its customer service and fees. That said, my research only covers what I could find publicly documented since 2008, so I can't speak to the airline's full history before that or anything not covered by English-language press. But everything considered, Ryanair has a good safety record.

What was Ryanair's worst accident?

The 2026 uncontained engine failure on Flight 1879, where a passenger was partially ejected through a damaged window, appears to be the most serious incident I found. He survived.

Crashes. Hijackings. Emergency landings that never made the evening news outside their own city. I went digging through all of it.

What follows is a full statistical breakdown. I built it from Wikipedia's documented record of Delta accidents and incidents, then checked it against Aviation Safety Network, NTSB filings and news archives to make sure the numbers held up. Every fatal crash. Hull loss. Hijacking. And major ground incident with a public record. They all made the cut.

One honest caveat before you dive in: the paper trail thins out the further back you go. Records from before the 1960s are spottier than what I found from the last thirty years, so I'd read these totals as the known, publicly documented history. Not a perfect government audit.

Total Number of Accidents and Incidents

48. That's the number of plane crashes Delta Air Lines has on record, dating back to 1935. This includes hull-loss crashes, hijackings, ground and maintenance incidents, and significant in-flight emergencies involving Delta mainline and its regional Delta Connection partners. This number, needless to say, is low, compared to American Airlines accidents statistics.

Number of Fatal Crashes

17 of those 48 incidents resulted in at least one death. Onboard, on the ground, or crew. That puts the fatal-incident rate at roughly 35%. Lower than some of Delta's competitors across the same time span. I'd caution against reading too much into that number alone, though. Fleet size, route volume and reporting depth all shift the comparison.

Number of Non-Fatal Crashes and Incidents

31 of the 48 recorded events involved no fatalities. Runway excursions. Engine failures that ended in safe landings. Hijackings that ended without bloodshed. Turbulence incidents. That's just under 65% of Delta's entire recorded history.

Total Number of Deaths

Across every documented incident, Delta accidents have resulted in 367 deaths, as I have estimated. Combining onboard fatalities and deaths on the ground. Two events account for the bulk of that number. Flight 191 in 1985, a Lockheed L-1011 that crashed at Dallas/Fort Worth after flying through a microburst, killing 135 of the 163 people onboard plus one person on the ground. And Flight 723 in 1973, a DC-9 that crashed into a seawall at Boston's Logan Airport, killing 89.

I should note something here. The 2006 crash of Comair Flight 5191, marketed as Delta Connection 5191, killed 50 people and is included in these totals. Comair was a Delta-owned regional carrier at the time, so the flight operated under the Delta Connection brand even though Comair carried out day-to-day operations.

Number of Hijackings

8 hijackings appear in Delta's documented record. Almost all of them cluster in the same window as the broader industry wave, from 1968 through the mid-1980s, when flights were frequently redirected to Cuba. One stands apart from the rest. The February 1974 attempted hijacking of Flight 523 at Baltimore, where the hijacker shot and killed a police officer and the plane's first officer before the standoff ended. That one's tracked separately in the fatality count, since it never left the gate.

Accidents Attributed to Pilot Error

Pilot error shows up as a contributing or primary cause in 7 of the 33 documented crash-category incidents. That's about 21%. A few worth naming:

• Flight 723 (1973) — the crew failed to stabilize the approach into Logan and struck the seawall

• Flight 191 (1985) — the pilot didn't acknowledge a flight controller’s frantic order to abort his landing

• Flight 1141 (1988) — improper flap and slat configuration on takeoff from DFW

• Comair Flight 5191 (2006) — the crew attempted takeoff from the wrong runway at Lexington

• Flight 1086 (2015) — the captain's excessive use of reverse thrust degraded rudder control on landing at LaGuardia

Number of Boeing Aircraft Accidents

Boeing aircraft account for 7 documented crash-category incidents. Only 1 was fatal, the 1988 crash of Flight 1141, a Boeing 727 that went down shortly after takeoff from DFW, killing 14 of the 108 aboard. That gives Boeing the lowest fatal rate of any manufacturer with more than a couple entries on this list.

Number of Airbus Aircraft Accidents

Airbus aircraft account for 4 documented crash-category incidents. None of them were fatal. Every Airbus-related entry in Delta's record: Engine fires. Turbulence. A taxiway collision. They all ended without a single death onboard.

Accidents by Decade

A few things stand out to me here. The 1970s and 1980s carry the highest incident counts of any decade. And the 1980s alone account for more deaths than any other single decade, driven almost entirely by the 1985 microburst crash. The 2020s already show the highest raw incident count on this list, but I'd read that carefully. Almost all of them are non-fatal.

And the volume partly reflects how much more thoroughly incidents get reported and documented today than they did in, say, 1968. Fatal crashes as a share of total incidents have trended down since the 1980s, even as the fleet, route count and total flights have grown enormously.

Deadliest Delta Air Lines Plane Crashes on Record

• Flight 191 (1985) — Dallas/Fort Worth: 137 deaths

• Flight 723 (1973) — Boston Logan: 89 deaths

• Comair Flight 5191 (2006) — Lexington, Kentucky: 50 deaths

• Flight 318 (1953) — Marshall, Texas: 19 deaths

• Flight 9877 (1967) — New Orleans: 19 deaths

Among the victims of Flight 191 crash was Philip Donald Estridge, known as the "father of the IBM PC". Estridge and wife Mary Ann perished in the accident on August 2, 1985. He was killed before the apex of his career, and thus, a jury ordered Delta to pay Estridge's estate a jaw-dropping $7,975,000, the largest award ever in a case involving an airplane death. Estridge was survived by three daughters, and the award was based on how much he could have earned in his career. "Delta is considering an appeal," Time Magazine reported at the time.

Delta Flight 191 accident had led to life-saving changes in aviation, including the development of airborne real-time windshear detection, windshear avoidance philosophy and pilot training.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many total plane crashes has Delta Air Lines had?

I count 48 documented accidents and incidents since 1935. 17 of them fatal.

What is Delta's deadliest crash?

Flight 191 in 1985. A wind-shear-driven microburst brought the L-1011 down at DFW, killing 135 people.

How many people have died in Delta accidents?

An estimated 367, across every documented incident I found in the record, spanning 1935 through early 2026.

Has Delta Air Lines had any hijackings?

Yes. 8 in the documented record, mostly during the wave of hijackings to Cuba between the late 1960s and mid-1980s.

I then cross-referenced against Aviation Safety Network, NTSB and news archive sources. My totals include hull losses, fatal crashes, hijackings and ground incidents. And notable in-flight emergencies where public records exist. Earlier decades, particularly before the 1950s, are less consistently documented than recent ones. So you should read "totals" as a record of known, publicly reported events. Not as an exhaustive government database.

Total Number of Accidents and Incidents

Since 1931, American Airlines has recorded 115 documented accidents and incidents, according to Wikipedia. This includes hull-loss crashes, hijackings, ground and maintenance incidents. It also includes significant in-flight emergencies involving both American Airlines and its regional American Eagle affiliate.

Number of Fatal Crashes

Of those 115 recorded events, 51 resulted in at least one fatality. Whether onboard the aircraft, on the ground, or among crew. Roughly, that puts the fatal-incident rate at 44% of all documented events. It's worth noting though that many of the earliest fatal crashes happened in the 1930s and 1940s. Needless to say, aviation technology and safety regulation in those days were far less developed than today.

Number of Non-Fatal Crashes and Incidents

64 of the 115 recorded events involved no fatalities. These include runway overruns, aborted takeoffs and hijackings. Which ended without bloodshed. Non-fatal incidents make up the majority of the airline's recorded history, at just under 56% of all events.

Total Number of Deaths

Across all documented incidents, American Airlines accidents have resulted in 3,384 deaths, based on my calculation. These include onboard fatalities and deaths on the ground. This figure is heavily influenced by the September 11, 2001 hijackings of Flight 11 and Flight 77. Which together have reportedly caused 1,881 deaths including those in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

And the crash of Flight 191 in 1979, in which 273 people perished at Chicago O'Hare. It still is the deadliest single aviation accident in U.S. history outside of 9/11.

If I were to exclude the two September 11 flights, deaths from operational crashes, mechanical failures and other incidents would total 1,500 across nine decades of operation.

Number of Hijackings

American Airlines flights have been hijacked 14 times, per Wikipedia's documented record. These incidents happened during a wave of hijackings in the late 1960s through the mid-1980s. This was a period when airplane hijacking, for the most part, for political asylum or ransom, was a recurring issue across the U.S. airline industry. Two of these hijackings, Flight 11 and Flight 77 on September 11, 2001, resulted in the deadliest terrorist attack in US history. Thus, they are tracked separately in fatality totals due to their scale.

Accidents Attributed to Pilot Error

Pilot error, including spatial disorientation, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT), and misjudged descents or approaches, has been cited as a contributing or primary cause in 23 of the 87 documented in-flight crash incidents. Or about 26%. Some of the most significant include:

• Flight 191 (1979) — while the initiating cause was engine separation, crew response to the resulting stall warning failure contributed to the crash

• Flight 965 (1995) — crashed into a mountain near Cali, Colombia, after a navigational data entry error

• Flight 587 (2001) — the first officer's overuse of the rudder in response to wake turbulence caused the vertical stabilizer to separate

• Flight 320 (1959) — crashed into the East River on approach to LaGuardia due to pilot error

Number of Boeing Aircraft Accidents

Boeing aircraft account for 15 documented crash-category incidents. Of those, 6 were fatal. This includes some of the airline's most significant losses, such as Flight 1 (1962, Boeing 707, 95 killed) and Flight 965 (1995, Boeing 757, 159 killed). Following Flight 965 incident, president Bill Clinton issued an official White House statement on December 22, 1995:

"Hillary and I offer our profound condolences to the many families whose loved ones perished in the crash December 20 of American Airlines flight 965 near Buga, Colombia," Clinton said, adding that coming on the eve of the holiday season, "this tragic event takes on even greater poignancy." The president continued: "I have dispatched an interagency team to the site which, working alongside Colombian authorities, will make every effort to determine the cause of the crash."

Number of Airbus Aircraft Accidents

Airbus aircraft account for 6 documented crash-category incidents. Of those, 2 were fatal. The most significant is Flight 587 in 2001, an Airbus A300 that crashed in Belle Harbor, New York, killing 265 people including five on the ground. It remains the deadliest Airbus-related accident in American Airlines history.

One of the victims, Hilda Yolanda Mayol, was traveling to her native country, trying to escape the trauma of the September 11 attacks. She had previously survived the 9/11 attacks, having escaped from the North Tower of the World Trade Center, where she had worked as a waitress, only to die on Flight 587 two months later.

"The New York people have suffered mightily; they suffer again," president George W. Bush said in a public statement of condolence following a Rose Garden meeting with former South African president Nelson Mandela. "But there's no doubt in my mind that the New Yorkers are resilient and strong and courageous people and will help their neighbors overcome this recent incident that took place," Bush added.

President Mandela also had expressed his deepest sympathies for the crash. "It's unfortunate that that would happen at this time, when the United States lost so many people on the 11th of September, Mandela said, adding: "But I know that you have quite a strong leader, and the people of the United States of America can face disaster, and I'm sure that they will overcome this unfortunate incident."

Accidents by Decade

As you may notice, a few trends stand out from this breakdown. The 1940s recorded the highest number of total incidents. Which is driven largely by the smaller, less reliable propeller aircraft in use at the time and wartime-era operations. Since the 1960s, fatal incidents have generally declined as a share of total incidents, even as total flight volume has grown substantially.

This reflects broader improvements in aircraft design, air traffic control and crew training across the industry. The 2000s recorded the highest death toll by far. Which is almost entirely due to the September 11 attacks. Exclude those two flights, and you'll find that the decade's death toll falls closer to historical norms.

Deadliest American Airlines Accidents on Record

• September 11, 2001 — Flights 11 and 77 (hijackings/terrorism): 1,881 deaths combined, including WTC and Pentagon deaths

• Flight 191 (1979) — O'Hare International Airport: 273 deaths

• Flight 587 (2001) — Belle Harbor, New York: 265 deaths

• Flight 965 (1995) — Near Cali, Colombia: 159 deaths

• Flight 1 (1962) — Idlewild Airport, New York: 95 deaths

Frequently Asked Questions

How many total plane crashes has American Airlines had?

American Airlines has had 115 documented accidents and incidents since 1931, including 51 fatal events.

What is American Airlines' deadliest crash?

Outside of the September 11 attacks, Flight 191 in 1979 is American Airlines' deadliest crash, killing 273 people at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

How many people have died in American Airlines accidents?

Based on my estimate, 3,384 people have died across all documented American Airlines accidents and incidents on Wikipedia, including the September 11 attacks.

Has American Airlines had any hijackings?

Yes. American Airlines flights have been hijacked 14 times, according to Wikipedia, including the two flights hijacked during the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The passenger's behavior escalated during the flight's final 45, so much so that former Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara had to step in and restrain him.

In an interview with Bring Me The News, O'Hara said he was traveling to Florida to consult with local law enforcement agencies when the passenger's behavior escalated. Flight attendants attempted to de-escalate the situation, which was sparked when they refused to serve the man any more alcohol, before O'Hara and two other passengers intervened. They succeeded in restraining the man in plastic handcuffs and returning him to his seat until the aircraft landed. The incident marks O'Hara's first public remarks since resigning from the Minneapolis Police Department earlier this year.

Footage posted to social media by O'Hara's wife, Wafiyyah O'Hara, captured the passenger, wearing a shirt reading "Too Lit," being taken into custody after the plane landed.

In a statement accompanying the video, she wrote that leadership "isn't just about the job you hold, it's about being willing to help when others need it," adding that she was "grateful everyone on board arrived safely."

United Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement, saying local law enforcement met the flight upon arrival in Fort Lauderdale "to address an unruly passenger," and thanked crew members and passengers for "assisting with the situation and helping ensure the safety of everyone onboard.“

The news comes just days after another United Airlines flight made headlines for a similar mid-air disruption. On a flight bound for Houston, Texas, last week, an intoxicated passenger argued with crew members and his own father before the situation escalated, according to video obtained by Aero Saga. The flight's captain ordered passengers to remain seated, instructing them to "protect the flight deck at all costs." As the man became more combative, several passengers restrained him across multiple seats, coordinating to control his head, torso, arms and legs while repeatedly checking that he was still breathing. He was subdued and turned over to authorities upon the flight's arrival in Houston

Your dog or cat doesn't care about linear inches. He or she cares about breathing room, a soft place to curl up and not feeling squished for hours at 30,000 feet. But Delta cares about inches. A lot.

Your pet carrier has to fit fully under the seat in front of you. No exceptions, no "it's close enough." Your pet needs space to turn around without pressing against the sides, and the kennel needs proper ventilation, soft-sided, leak-proof, breathable on three sides for domestic flights and four for international ones.

Delta recommends 18" x 11" x 11" because that size clears most aircraft types. Go bigger and you risk a gate agent telling you to check your pet as cargo. Which is the last thing any of us want for our furry friends.

In addition to the pet carrier, you are allowed to bring one carry-on item on board. Feel free to check out my list of seven carry-on bags that meet Delta's carry-on size requirements.

So this isn't about finding a cute pet carrier. It's about finding one that actually protects your pet, keeps them calm and slides under that seat without a fight at boarding.

I picked 7 that do exactly that. Here you are:

• GAPZER's Pet Carrier — best for medium cats (15-25 lbs) and small dogs up to ~10 lbs

• Petskd's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier — best for small, calm cats and toy-breed dogs under 10-12 lbs

• Henkelion's Pet Carrier — best for Chihuahuas, small-medium cats, frequent short trips

• Lekereise's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier — best for pets who need extra vertical room to stand and stretch

• SHARLOVY's Top-Side Expandable Pet Carrier — best for anxious pets needing hands-on calming access

• PAPZER's Pet Carrier — best for nervous pets needing reduced visual stimulation

• Petskd's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier with Wheels — best for hands-free rolling transport, slower at security/boarding

1. GAPZER's Pet Carrier

The GAPZER pet carrier's sized for medium cats and small dogs. Comfortably fits cats in the 15-25 lb range, plus toy breeds like Yorkies, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians and Maltese up to around 10 lbs.

Best for: Cats who need real stretch room, and small anxious dogs who benefit from a snug, enclosed feel. The self-locking zippers matter here too, if your cat is the type to work a zipper open mid-flight, this is built to stop that. The reinforced 600D fabric also holds up against clawing, which matters for a nervous cat in a new environment.

Not for: Larger toy breeds or small-to-medium dogs pushing past 10-12 lbs. The frame supports weight sitting on top, but that's different from comfortably housing a bigger, more active dog for a full flight. If your pet needs more than "curl up and stay still" room, size up.

Check It Out At Amazon

One detail worth noting for road trips before the flight: side panels unzip to thread a seatbelt through, so it doubles as a secured car carrier, not just a plane bag.

2. Petskd's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier

Inner dimensions are tighter here: 15" x 8" x 10", with a reference weight of under 10 lbs for dogs and under 12 lbs for cats. Unfolded, the carrier expands to 18" x 11" x 14.5", but the base you're working with is the smaller inner size, so measure your pet against that, not the expanded number.

Best for: Small, calm cats and toy-breed dogs who don't need much lateral room, think Chihuahuas, Yorkies, small tabbies or similar. This one's built specifically around Delta, United and American's shared 18x11x11 under-seat spec, so if you fly any of those three regularly, sizing compatibility isn't a guessing game.

Not for: Anything pushing past 10-12 lbs or longer-bodied breeds. With an 8" inner width, a broader or longer pet is going to feel cramped fast, even if they technically meet the weight cutoff. Go by length and height first, weight second.

Check It Out At Amazon

Ventilation is strong here, mesh on five sides instead of the usual three or four, plus three openings each secured with two non-slip zippers. There's also a built-in adjustable buckle to clip a collar or harness inside, useful if your pet tends to shift around during boarding.

3. Henkelion's Pet Carrier

With dimensions of 17"L x 11"W x 11"H, this carrier meet Delta's size requirements. However, it's inner size runs 15" x 9" x 9", built for pets up to 15 lbs, small and medium cats or dogs. As with the others, weight alone shouldn't decide your fit here, measure length and height first.

Best for: Chihuahuas, small-to-medium cats and pets who travel often, not just for flights but vet runs, car trips and quick errands. One owner switched from a hard-case carrier and called this a real upgrade, lighter, less bulky, easier to grab and go on short notice. Set up was simple too, straps felt sturdy from day one.

Not for: Larger pets or ones needing more square footage inside. At 15x9x9 inner dimensions, this runs smaller than some other carriers on this list, so a bigger cat or a dog closer to that 15 lb ceiling may feel snug rather than roomy.

Check It Out At Amazon

Two connecting loop handles double as a seatbelt or luggage strap anchor, useful if you're driving to the airport before you fly. Four-sided mesh keeps airflow constant and gives you a clear line of sight to check on your pet without unzipping anything.

4. Lekereise's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier

Inner dimensions sit at 17" x 10" x 10", with a 15 lb weight cap for small dogs and cats. Unfolded, the top expands by nearly 4 inches, giving your pet room to stand up straight instead of staying hunched for the whole flight.

Best for: Pets who get restless in tight spaces. The expandable top is the standout feature here, more vertical room without changing the carrier's footprint under the seat. Good for cats or small dogs who pace, shift or need to stretch mid-flight to stay calm. This one's also built specifically with Delta, United and American's under-seat specs in mind.

Not for: Pets close to the 15 lb ceiling with a longer or broader frame. Even with the expandable height, the base footprint is still 17x10, so length and width matter more than the extra headroom will help with.

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Structurally, this is one of the sturdier builds on the list. A 5mm steel wire skeleton plus four fixing buckles keeps the frame from sagging or collapsing, so your pet isn't at risk of being squashed if something's stacked on top or the carrier gets jostled in the overhead process. Mesh runs on five sides with lockable zippers on every opening, keeping visibility high and escape risk low.

5. SHARLOVY's Top-Side Expandable Pet Carrier

Sized at 18" x 11" x 11", this carrier matches Delta, United and American's shared under-seat spec directly. As always, measure your pet's length, height and weight before buying, since the brand itself recommends double-checking against your specific airline before booking.

Best for: Pets who struggle with travel stress. The side Treat & Pet Window is the standout here, you can reach in and soothe, pet or hand-feed without unzipping the whole carrier mid-flight. That matters if your pet tends to spiral the moment the bag opens. Privacy curtains add another layer of control, switch between full visibility and a calmer, reduced-stimulation mode depending on how your pet is handling the noise and crowd around them.

Not for: Owners who want a straightforward, no-frills carrier. This one leans into anxiety-focused design, which is great if that's your situation, but overkill if your pet is generally relaxed in transit.

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Ventilation is a strong point too, five-sided mesh rated well above standard airline airflow guidelines, so heat buildup shouldn't be an issue even on longer in-cabin waits. A carbon steel frame keeps the structure stable when panels are expanded, so the added space doesn't come at the cost of stability.

6. PAPZER's Pet Carrier

Sized at 18" x 11" x 11", matching Delta's under-seat recommendation directly. Built for medium cats up to 20 lbs and small dogs up to 12 lbs, though as always, measure nose-to-tail before buying, not just by weight.

Best for: Nervous or reactive pets who need a break from stimulation. The privacy roller shade is the feature that sets this one apart, lower it to create a den-like, enclosed space during a stressful moment, then roll it back up when your pet's curious enough to look out again. Good for anxious Chihuahuas, skittish Siamese cats or any pet that does better with less visual input in a crowded gate area.

Not for: Larger or more powerful small dogs. The frame supports weight up to 20 lbs and beyond, but at these dimensions, breed shape still matters more than the number on the scale. A stockier 12-lb dog may fit differently than a leaner one at the same weight.

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Escape-resistant zippers lock on both the top and side entries, built specifically with breeds like Dachshunds and Toy Poodles in mind, ones known for nudging their way out of a partially closed carrier. The reversible comfort pad is a nice year-round touch too, fleece on one side for cold-weather flights, cooling gel on the other for warmer routes.

7. Petskd's Top-Expandable Pet Carrier with Wheels

Inner dimensions come in at 15" x 8" x 10", small enough for compact cats and small dogs only. As with Petskd's other carrier on this list, measure your pet standing and sitting, not just by weight, since the footprint here is tight.

Best for: Owners who want wheeled convenience through the terminal without carrying the full weight of their pet by hand or shoulder strap the whole way. Four rotating wheels handle uneven ground smoothly, and the snap-on assembly is simpler than most wheeled carriers that rely on Velcro straps to attach the bag to its base.

Not for: Anyone in a rush at security or boarding. One owner flagged a real friction point: the wheel base has to be fully flattened before the carrier fits under the seat or through the overhead process, and that takes time you may not have with a line building behind you. If quick transitions matter more than wheels, this may not be your best pick.

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Once assembled without the wheel base, it unfolds to 18" x 11" x 14.5" and meets Delta, United and American's shared under-seat spec. Five-sided mesh keeps ventilation strong, and an internal metal frame prevents sagging or collapse at the top, even with the added mechanics of the wheel system built in.

How I Chose These Carriers

Every carrier on this list was checked against Delta's actual in-cabin pet policy, not a rough estimate. 18" x 11" x 11" is what Delta recommends, since that size clears the under-seat space on most aircraft types.

Anything that didn't hold up to that spec, or came close but cut corners on ventilation, safety or structure, didn't make the cut. I also watched for frequently returned items while researching. A carrier can look ideal in the listing photos and still get sent back at scale, sizing that runs off, zippers that fail, frames that sag under normal use.

That pattern was one of the first things I screened for before a product made it onto this list.

No single carrier works for every pet. A Chihuahua and a 20 lb cat don't have the same needs, and an anxious pet traveling for the first time needs different features than one who's flown a dozen times already. That's why each pick here comes with who it's actually built for, and who should keep looking.

Delta's carry-on rule is simple on paper. One bag, one personal item, both free. But the size limit trips up more travelers than you'd think.  Your bag can't beat 22" x 14" x 9". That's 45 linear inches total, wheels and handles included. Go one inch over and you're gate-checking it, paying a fee and watching your "carry-on" get tossed under the plane with the rest of the luggage.

The gate agents aren't guessing. Delta has sizers at the counter and the gate, and if your bag doesn't slide in clean, it's not flying in the cabin with you.  So the real problem isn't finding a nice-looking bag. It's finding one that actually fits Delta's box, every time, without you eyeballing it and hoping. I researched the bags that hit those exact dimensions. No guesswork, no "close enough."

Here are the 7 best 22" x 14" x 9" carry-ons for flying Delta Air Lines.

• ZOMFELT Carry On Luggage — best for clothes-heavy trips, no wheels

• Foldable Carry On Luggage — sturdy and flexible, not fully waterproof

• LOVEVOOK Carry On Luggage — true-to-size, best for business travel

• Star Cloud Carry On Luggage — lightest hard-structured option, built-in charging

• Softside Top Opening Carry On Luggage — best for quick-access packing, family-tested durability

• ZOMFELT Gym Bag for Men — best dual-purpose travel and gym bag

• Expandable 20-Inch Carry On Luggage — most features for the price, mixed build quality

1. ZOMFELT Carry On Luggage

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The ZOMFELT Carry On Luggage is built for volume, not gear-head organization. 45 liters of space means you can pack 3-5 days of clothes without babying your folding technique. One main compartment does the heavy lifting, backed by two front organizers and two side pockets for the small stuff.  It's compatible with Delta's sizer and most other major airlines too, so you're not locked into one carrier if your travel plans change.

Where it works best:

• Clothes-heavy trips — shoes, workout gear, layers.

• Weekend getaways where you're not hauling a laptop and three tech pouches.

• Gym bag duty on days you're not flying at all.

Where it falls short:

• No wheels. You're carrying this one, whether that's the shoulder strap or the two handles.

• Fine for a quick walk to the gate. Less fine after a long terminal sprint.

• Light on interior structure. If you need separate zones for laptop, toiletries and cables, this bag will feel like one big pile instead of a system.

Bottom line: if your trip is mostly clothes and you don't mind carrying it, the ZOMFELT earns its space. If you're the type who needs everything in its own labeled pocket, keep looking.

2. Foldable Carry On Luggage

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This one hits Delta's exact 22x14x9 size and packs 40L into it. Polyester build, reinforced stitching, two-way zippers that are supposed to hold up over time. It also comes in smaller sizes — 18x14x8 and 16x10x8 — if you fly Spirit too and need a personal item that fits their tighter rules.

Where it works best:

• Multi-day trips where you want one bag that adapts — gym, hospital stay, weekend getaway, garment hauling.

• Travelers who want quick-grab access. There's an outside pocket for your passport and boarding pass, plus a strap loop that clips onto your suitcase handle.

• Anyone who prefers options — comes with both a carry handle and a detachable shoulder strap.

Where it falls short:

• "Waterproof" is a stretch. One reviewer said it's closer to water-resistant, and clothes at the bottom got damp after light rain. It dried fast, but don't count on it in a downpour .

• The shoulder strap padding is thin. Fully packed, it starts to dig in in on longer walks.

• The handle loop doesn't slide smoothly onto suitcase handles, according to one buyer. Minor annoyance, but worth knowing before you buy.

Bottom line: solid, sturdy and flexible across trip types. Just don't trust it in real rain, and consider padding out that strap yourself if you're walking long distances with it full.

3. LOVEVOOK Carry On Luggage

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The LOVEVOOK Carry On Luggage hits Delta's exact 22x14x9 spec, wheels included. At 7.6 pounds, it's on the lighter end for a wheeled bag, which matters since Delta's linear-inch limit doesn't leave room for a heavy shell eating into your weight allowance.

Where it works best:

• Business trips — there's a front-access laptop compartment built for a 15.6" laptop or tablet, so you're not unzipping the whole bag at security.

• Travelers who want the size guesswork gone. Multiple reviewers confirmed it measures true to spec, not the "close enough" sizing some brands advertise.

• Anyone packing a mix of items — comes with a shoe bag, a 10L clothes pouch and a wet compartment for damp gear.

Where it falls short:

• It's heavier empty than some soft-siders. One reviewer, smaller and older, found it straining to lift into the overhead bin even before packing anything in. If upper-body strength is a concern, this may not be your pick.

• Silent spinner wheels are a nice touch, but they won't offset the base weight if you're the one hoisting it overhead.

Bottom line: true-to-size and well-built, best suited for someone who doesn't mind a bit more heft or who has help lifting it into the bin. If a lighter frame matters more to you than laptop access, look elsewhere on this list.

4. star cloud Carry On Luggage

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Like all bags on this list, this one also lands right at Delta's max — 22x14x9, 45L, and only 6 pounds empty. That's light for a hard-structured suitcase, which means more of your 45 linear inches goes to actual packing instead of bag weight.

The USB and Type-C charging pocket is a real convenience play. Plug in a power bank, charge your phone on the move, no digging through the main compartment mid-flight.

Where it works best:

• Business travelers — padded 17.3" laptop compartment plus a separate tablet sleeve, both organized and protected.

• Anyone who wants quick-grab access. Front organizer pockets hold your passport and boarding pass without touching the TSA lock.

• Weekend to week-long trips. One reviewer uses it regularly for weekend travel and called it light with plenty of room.

Where it falls short:

• Heavier-feeling material than a hard-shell, despite the low weight. The reviewer noted it's bulkier than expected for the same capacity.

• The TSA lock only covers the main compartment. Front pockets stay open, so don't store valuables there.

• No password reset if you forget your combination. Lock it in, or you're cutting the zipper to get back in.

Bottom line: light, well-organized and packed with smart extras like the charging port. Just keep valuables out of the front pocket and don't forget that lock code.

5. cllson Softside Top Opening Carry On Luggage

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This Top Opening Carry On Luggage is built around access. A front top-opening design means you can grab heavier items without unpacking the whole bag, and a half-opening back compartment holds a 16" laptop separately. There's also an expansion zipper that adds 14% more space when you need it, useful for return-trip souvenirs or a seasonal wardrobe swap.

Same charging setup as the last pick: USB and Type-C ports built in. Just remember the power bank isn't included, you're bringing your own.

Where it works best:

• Frequent short-trip travelers. One reviewer made it her go-to for quick getaways, citing how well it's held up over multiple flights.

• Families — the reviewer's toddler sits on it while it's rolled short distances, and the frame handled that without bending.

• Anyone who wants a tough exterior. The outer fabric was described as still looking nearly new after repeated travel.

Where it falls short:

• This is the one area info is thin on. No major complaints surfaced in the review, but that also means less data on long-term wear past a handful of trips.

• Like other bags on this list, the charging port needs your own power bank. Easy to forget before a flight.

Bottom line: durable, well-organized and genuinely convenient for grab-and-go packing. A strong pick if you're after real-world durability feedback, not just spec sheets.

6. ZOMFELT Gym Bag for Men, 22x14x9 Carry On luggage

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The ZOMFELT Gym Bag for Men is built more like a tactical duffel than a traditional carry-on, and it's meant to pull double duty as gym gear and travel luggage. It's sized to 22x14x9 and fits Delta's overhead bin along with most other major carriers. 900D water-resistant nylon, reinforced stitching, heavy-duty zippers. Add a full MOLLE webbing system and this bag can take on rough handling that a soft-sided travel duffel wouldn't survive.

Where it works best:

• Anyone who travels straight from the airport to the gym, court or trail. Two removable dividers let you split the main compartment for shoes, gear or clothes as needed.

• Wet or dirty gear. A dedicated vertical shoe compartment keeps sneakers separate, and an external wet pocket handles damp towels or swimwear without soaking the rest of your stuff.

• Travelers who want carry options. Detachable shoulder strap, hidden backpack straps, tote-style handles — it shifts depending on how you need to move through an airport.

Where it falls short:

• Manual measurements carry a 0.5-1 inch margin of error, so if your airline's gate agent is strict, know that going in.

• No negative reviews have surfaced yet. Which is a good sign, but also means less long-term wear data compared to some other bags on this list.

Bottom line: this is the pick for someone who wants one bag for both travel and workouts, not a dedicated business or vacation carry-on. If tactical styling and MOLLE compatibility aren't your thing, one of the other bags here will suit you better.

7. ISLAND ELEPHANT Expandable 20Inch Carry On Luggage

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This one packs in the most gadget-forward features on the list. It's a hard shell built at 22x14x9, but expands from 38L to 46L, adding 2 inches and 20% more space when you need it for souvenirs, without tipping into overweight fees.

Only 7.9 pounds despite being hard-sided PC material. There's a hidden cup holder, dual USB-A and Type-C charging ports, and a removable divider with a detachable wet-dry bag for damp clothes.

Where it works best:

• Travelers who want expandability without switching to a soft-sided bag. The 20% boost in capacity is there when you need it, gone when you don't.

• Anyone who values maneuverability. Four spinner wheels with a spring suspension system beat the standard two-wheel roller for tight airport turns.

• Tech-focused packers. Dedicated pockets for power banks and AirTags keep your gear from sliding around loose.

Where it falls short:

• The main compartment could use more division. One reviewer wished for a second section instead of one large open space.

• Build quality is a mixed bag. Another reviewer noted it flexes more than expected and feels cheaper than a pricier alternative they compared it to, though they admitted they never actually traveled with it, so that's a first-impression complaint, not a field-tested one.

• Given the flex concerns, this may not be the best pick if you're checking it as luggage or expect rough handling.

Bottom line: loaded with smart features for the price, but the build feels less premium than some competitors. Good for a light traveler who wants tech extras. Less ideal if durability under rough handling is your top priority.

Also see: 7 best pet carriers for Delta flights

How I Chose These Bags

Every bag on this list was checked against Delta's actual carry-on rules, not a rough guess. 22" x 14" x 9", 45 linear inches total, wheels and handles included. If a product didn't match that spec, I said so upfront instead of burying it in the fine print.

I also paid attention to return patterns. A bag can look great in five-star photos and still get sent back in bulk. High return rates usually point to a real problem, sizing that runs off, zippers that fail early, straps that don't hold up. That data shaped which bags made the cut and which didn't.

And I didn't stop at the marketing copy.

Every brand claims their bag is durable, spacious and perfectly sized. Thus, I went straight to the reviews, looking for what actual buyers ran into after using the bag, not just what the listing promised. Weight complaints, lock issues, thin padding, flex in the shell. If a downside showed up, I included it.

No bag is right for everyone. What works for a business traveler with a laptop to protect won't work for a parent hauling a toddler through security. My job wasn't to find a "perfect" bag. It was to tell you which bag fits which kind of trip, and where each one falls short, so you're not the one finding out the hard way at the gate.

A United Airlines passenger on a flight bound for Houston, Texas, got drunk and is seen arguing with the crew and his father, a video obtained by Aero Saga shows. Alex Cuevas, an electrician aboard the plane, captured the incident on video, which he posted to his Facebook page on August 5, 2026. "What a way to end my first international trip," Cuevas captioned the video, in which a flight attendant is seen warning the drunk passenger that he will not fly United again.

The flight attendant also threatens the man with wrist restraints before the captain orders everyone seated: "Protect the flight deck at all costs," the captain orders, adding: "Please protect yourself. Remain safe." The incident starts off slowly. The captain, however, clearly sees where it is heading.

"You’re not behaving at all. I’m gonna call the captain. You’re not gonna fly United again," the flight attendant warns the unruly passenger, threatening him with wrist restraints. The flight attendant then tries to calm the man down: "All right, okay? So please behave. This is a matter of safety. You’ve been drinking... You’re an adult. Your father is here," the flight attendant is heard telling the drunk passenger. She adds: "Do you want to embarrass him even more?," referring to the man's father. 

The captain then announces: "This is the captain. I need everybody in their seats at this time. We have an issue… Protect the flight deck at all costs. Please protect yourself. Remain safe. Remain seated. Thank you."

A subsequent video shared by Cuevas shows passengers surrounding the man while a flight attendant repeatedly orders him to sit.

As he grows more violent, several passengers pin him across the seats, controlling his head, torso, arms, and legs. It's a coordinated restraint, with the group telling one another: "You hold that," "I’ve got it," and "I’ve got another one."

All the same, they care about his welfare, as several people repeatedly say, "Make sure he’s breathing." But the man keeps arguing and insulting them. The intoxicated passenger is subdued and handed over to authorities upon arrival in Houston.

It is not clear whether the man got drunk before boarding the plane or while onboard.

According to a commenter claiming to have witnessed the arrival, the passenger was arrested, and the father didn’t even stay in Houston with his incarcerated son.

Read also: Australian Man Attacks Flight Attendant for Refusing His Request to Hug Her

According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the 21-year-old, whose name was not revealed, allegedly grabbed a female flight attendant's shoulders and shook her. The bizarre motive behind the attack was that the flight attendant refused his request to hug him on board the April 1 flight, per the AFP.

After assaulting the flight attendant, the AFP allege the young man then walked to the rear of the plane and punched another passenger several times in the face, as he exited a toilet cubicle. The AFP didn't state what the latter victim did to the young man.

The 21-year-old was restrained by cabin crew and handed over to police officers upon landing. He is currently facing one count of assaulting crew of an aircraft, an offense punishable by 10 years imprisonment.

Additionally, he is being charged with one count of common assault, which is punishable by two years imprisonment, according to the AFP.

In a press release statement, the AFP said it has a "zero-tolerance policy when it comes to the assault or mistreatment of passengers or cabin crew," adding that "anyone who commits such an offence can expect to be prosecuted."

The agency then emphasized this stance, warning that it "maintains a strong presence at Australia’s major airports for this very reason.”

The young man appeared in Broadmeadows Magistrates Court on August 3, 2026.

The news comes weeks after a traveler was banned for life for biting a flight attendant on a flight from Australia to the US. As reported by The Guardian, the plane was diverted as a result of the incident.

Mechanical failures. Fuel depletion. Blinding storms. Sudden smoke in the cockpit. They turn a routine flight into a terrifying gamble. Which stretch of asphalt will become the next survival zone? Every emergency landing is a massive gamble. A clipped power line. A wing striking a semi-truck. A fiery shoulder crash. A miracle walk-away. They test the nerves of pilots and drivers alike.

Let us look at the dramatic history of emergency landings on highways in Florida.

Interstate 10 in Pensacola, Florida

It was just before 11:00 a.m. on Monday, July 3, 2026. A single-engine Piper PA-28 Cherokee was on a routine training flight, preparing to land at Pensacola International Airport. And then, everything went wrong. The pilot noticed a terrifying change on the dashboard. Oil pressure was dropping fast into the red zone. Worse, thick fumes began filling up the cockpit.

Air traffic control audio captured by ATC revealed the sheer panic of the moment. The pilot radioed in that they were losing the engine entirely. And they realized the airport was simply too far away. Two people were onboard the plane at the time, according to the FAA. With no power left, the pilot had to make a split-second choice. “We are not making the airport, we are going down on I-10,” the pilot told controllers. “We are lined up with I-10 trying to avoid the cars.” 

Which meant drivers on the interstate below were about to witness a nightmare. Eric Jordan was driving his truck in the eastbound lanes when a sudden shadow covered his vehicle. He slowed down just in time. And the aircraft glided directly in front of him, missing a massive highway sign by mere feet. His dash camera caught the entire terrifying descent as the plane touched down in the empty lanes."

It’s a miracle," Jordan later told CNN. "If I wouldn’t have seen that shadow over my truck and slowed down, (the plane) would have been in the side of the cab."

The situation could have been a disaster, to say the least. Yet, the pilot and flight student managed to pull off the impossible.

"Pilot and flight student report mechanical issues which forced an emergency landing on the interstate. No injuries reported. Traffic will be slow moving eastbound until the plane can be cleared," the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said.

Interstate-95 in Merritt Island

It was a terrifying Tuesday afternoon on December 9, 2025. A small twin-engine plane was flying an instructional flight after leaving Merritt Island. And then, the aircraft lost power in both engines. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot reported severe engine issues before the craft began dropping toward Brevard County. The pilots realized they could not stay airborne. Therefore, they targeted Interstate 95 for an emergency touchdown. Which led to a frightening moment captured on a witness's dashcam. A video later published by ViralHog shows the aircraft descending onto the highway.

A Toyota Camry was driving southbound on I-95, completely unaware of the danger from above. The plane struck the top of the moving vehicle, smashing into the car while trying to land. According to news station WESH, the impact was unavoidable as the aircraft settled onto the asphalt. The driver of the car was identified as a 57-year-old woman. Of course, she suffered a massive shock.

Emergency crews from Brevard County Fire Rescue arrived quickly at the scene and took her to the hospital with minor injuries. On the other hand, the occupants of the plane walked away completely untouched. The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that the pilot and their passenger, both 27-year-old men, were not injured.

On a Highway in Kissimmee

It was another dangerous day on Florida roads on July 30, 2025. A small Cessna plane suffered a sudden mid-air emergency. And it was forced to drop onto a busy highway in Kissimmee, about 20 miles south of Orlando. Which caused massive traffic delays for unsuspecting commuters. Video footage from the scene caught the immediate aftermath.

Two people could be seen climbing out of the grounded plane after it came to a complete stop on the highway. While the video did not capture the actual impact, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the landing was not entirely clean. The small Cessna plane struck a vehicle as it landed. It was a terrifying moment for the driver, needless to say. But miraculously, no injuries were reported.

"A small Cessna plane made an emergency landing just west of Ham Brown Road on U.S. 1792. As a result, the right turn lane on eastbound 1792 is currently blocked," the Sheriff's Office said, noting that "The plane contacted a vehicle during landing, but no injuries have been reported."

According to USA Today, this incident came just two days after another small plane, an Orlican M8, crashed in a residential area of Lake Worth, Florida, around 4:45 p.m. local time on July 28. Two people were on board that flight, the outlet said.

Interstate 75 in southwest Florida

It was a Friday afternoon in February 2024. A small plane suffered a catastrophic failure and attempted to make an emergency landing on Interstate 75 in southwest Florida. And the result was devastating. The aircraft collided violently with a vehicle, bringing all highway traffic to a sudden halt as a massive plume of black smoke rose into the air. The crash landing happened near the Pine Ridge Road exit in Collier County. Which is just north of where the interstate heads east toward Fort Lauderdale along the stretch known as Alligator Alley.

Two people died in the fiery wreckage. Brianna Walker was driving on the highway and witnessed the entire horror unfold. She saw the wing of the plane drag the car directly in front of hers and slam into the wall. “It’s seconds that separated us from the car in front of us,” Walker told AP News at the time.

“The wing pulverized this one car.” Walker and her friend spotted the low-flying plane moments before it hit the asphalt. And that split-second warning allowed her friend to pull over before the actual impact. “The plane was over our heads by inches,” she said. “It took a hard right and skid across the highway.” However, the danger was not over when the aircraft touched the ground. Walker said an explosion of flames then burst from the plane with a loud boom. Pieces of shattered wreckage littered the highway lanes.

“It feels unreal, like a movie,” Walker recalled. “It was seconds between us dying.”

On a Highway in Jupiter, Florida

It was the afternoon of March 6, 2026. A 19-year-old pilot named Niko Bray was flying a Cessna 150G above Jupiter, Florida. He had obtained his pilot’s license in January 2025 and worked as a flight instructor. And suddenly, he detected that his plane had a severe engine problem, as reported by the Palm Beach Post.

The plane completely lost power. Bray quickly grasped that his best shot to make it out alive with his passenger was to land on the street below. “It hit me like: ‘No, this is real … I actually don’t have any power to climb right now,’” Bray later shared in an interview with Florida news outlet WSVN. “I started looking at the ground immediately to find a spot to land and – once you’re in that position – you just execute.” Which meant he had to aim for a busy, six-lane thoroughfare.

Bray safely placed the Cessna down near a Home Depot store at the intersection of Indiantown Road and Maplewood Drive. And he did it in plain view of stunned motorists who recorded the extraordinary scene on their cellphones. He told the Palm Beach Post: “It was less than two minutes from the time I realized there was a problem to landing on the ground.” “It can happen … so fast,” Bray remarked to WSVN nearly a week after the March 10, 2026 updates of the incident surfaced.

Sawgrass Expressway in the Coral Springs

It was around 9:30 p.m. on August 8, 2020. A single-engine Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee took off from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, according to Flightaware. And about an hour later, the flight took a dangerous turn. The aircraft experienced sudden engine trouble in the dark skies. Which forced the 29-year-old pilot to look down at the highway grid below for a place to touch down.

At around 10:30 p.m., the pilot managed to guide the plane into the eastbound lanes of the Sawgrass Expressway, just east of the University Drive exit in the Coral Springs and Parkland area. The Florida Highway Patrol arrived quickly at the scene to secure the aircraft. And they later explained what went wrong in the cockpit.

“A mechanical issue on the plane affected the flow of fuel and, not being able to return to home base safely, [the pilot] was forced to land the aircraft on the Sawgrass Expressway,” said Lt. Yanko Reyes in a statement. Needless to say, landing a plane on a highway at night is incredibly hazardous. Or rather, a recipe for a multi-car pileup.

Yet, the FHP confirmed that the pilot was able to perform the landing without affecting any of the traffic at the time. No injuries were reported. And the pilot walked away from the scene completely unharmed.

The unusual sight stunned commuters the following day. A witness close to the crash site later shared their disbelief online: "I mean… There’s not really much to say about this. Literally, a plane landed on the highway (Toll 869-Sawgrass Expressway) I drove by it this morning, and my mom had to snap a picture. No, it wasn’t that easy to get a picture, The aircraft is a Piper PA-28 Cherokee!"

Needless to say, she felt blessed to see her family again. But the mental scars ran deep. She wanted to heal. Or at least escape the lingering trauma of ground zero. To that end, she planned a trip to her native country to take her mind off the terror. Her mother and her two children had already traveled there from New York two weeks earlier. Which meant she was finally heading home to the Dominican Republic to vacation with them. Her luck, however, lasted only a further two months.

On November 12, 2001, Mayol boarded American Airlines Flight 587 out of John F. Kennedy International Airport. The regularly scheduled international flight was bound for Las Américas International Airport in Santo Domingo.

According to records on Find a Grave, she had been born in 1975. And she was just another young mother looking for peace. Instead, she walked into a second catastrophe.

Five Minutes in November

Flight 587 never made it out of New York. Just five minutes after takeoff, the Airbus A300 crashed into the neighborhood of Belle Harbor on the Rockaway Peninsula of Queens. The location of the accident sparked immediate panic. Which was natural coming only two months after the September 11 attacks in nearby Manhattan. And the crash initially spawned fears of another terrorist attack. But investigations proved otherwise. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later attributed the disaster to a tragic mechanical and human failure.

The plane had flown into wake turbulence from a preceding Japan Airlines Boeing 747-400 that took off minutes before it. In response, the first officer overused the rudder controls. According to the NTSB, this aggressive use of the rudder was the result of a flawed training scenario that exaggerated the effects of wake turbulence. Which stressed the vertical stabilizer until the rudder was ripped completely from the aircraft. The intense aerodynamic forces were so severe that the airliner's two engines also separated from the aircraft before impact. The crippled plane plummeted from the sky. And all 251 passengers and nine crew members aboard perished. Up to a further five people on the ground also died in the accident.

With 260 total fatalities, it remains the second-deadliest aviation accident to have occurred in the United States, behind only the 1979 crash of American Airlines Flight 191. Or any other disaster on American soil. Which makes it the second-deadliest aviation incident involving an Airbus A300. Hilda Yolanda Mayol was among the dead. She had beaten the impossible odds of 9/11, only to perish 62 days later in a completely unrelated disaster. Today, the world is left with very few markers of her life.

And there is only one photo of her in existence, preserved on her Find a Grave page.

A Cabin Filled with Immigrant Dreams

Mayol’s tragedy was part of a much larger, collective heartbreak. As The Guardian reported, on Flight 587, "myriad immigrant stories of hope foundered." The cabin was filled with people striving for better lives. Working multiple jobs. Or simply trying to return to the embrace of their native communities.

The Guardian documented the story of Ana Made, an 85-year-old woman who was finally leaving the South Bronx for her native Nizao after being confined to a wheelchair. Her daughter-in-law, Alba Mercedes Perez, shared the bittersweet reality of her move, stating: "Life was too difficult in the Bronx, and here [in the Dominican Republic] she had her community and her family." And not wanting his mother to travel alone in her fragile state, her 52-year-old son had traveled with her. Both died in the crash.

Then there was 38-year-old Tito Bautista. He was a dedicated father who changed his flight at least three times to accommodate the shift patterns of the two jobs he worked at in New York. And he was heading to the Dominican Republic for a beautiful reason: to collect his son and bring him back to America, hoping he could give him a better education.

The sudden finality of the crash shattered entire family trees in an instant. Or torn them apart forever. A family of five from Washington Heights suddenly became a family of two after Roberto Despradel perished with his young sons, Lorenzo and Robert. Which left behind a grieving widow, Ylsa and their six-year-old daughter, Gabriella. The weight of that loss echoes through the words Ylsa shared after the crash: "The pain is too much. I cry and I cry. But I need to be strong for my little girl."

An Importance to the Place They Left Behind

Every single name in this article is a massive tragedy. A mother trying to heal. A grandmother escaping the harshness of the Bronx. A father working two jobs for his son's future. And two young brothers lost in an instant. They have an importance to the place they left behind and the home they never reached. To say the least, fate can be unimaginably harsh. Hilda Yolanda Mayol and her fellow passengers were moving toward hope, vacation and renewal. However, their lives were cut short over Queens, binding their memory forever to one of the darkest autumns in New York history.

Many travelers ask, "Is American Airlines a good airline to fly?" To say the least, modern aviation is incredibly safe. Nevertheless, accidents happen. People frequently search for the worst disasters. They want to know which airline has the worst accident record. Safety records have improved drastically over the decades. Still, history leaves its mark. What was the last American Airlines crash? That answer depends on how you define a crash. Serious incidents are rare today. On this list, every accident is a massive tragedy. A mechanical failure. A pilot error. A storm. A hijacking. They changed safety rules forever.

1. American Airlines Flight 1 (Douglas DC-3)

• Date of crash: October 30, 1941

• Total people onboard: 20

• Survivors: 0

Dubbed "the New Yorker", American Airlines Flight 1, a Douglas DC-3, took off from Buffalo on October 30, 1941 at 9:07 p.m. It was carrying a total of 20 people, including 3 crew and 17 passengers. When the plane arrived near the town of Lawrence Station, Ontario, it started to descend. It eventually crashed into a wheat field and immediately burst into flames. Everyone onboard perished. The probable cause of the crash remains unknown. On 10 September 2018, a plaque was erected at the crash site to remember the victims of the accident.

2. American Airlines Flight 28

• Date of crash: October 23, 1942

• Total people onboard: 12

• Survivors: 0

On October 23, 1942, at 4:36 p.m., American Airlines Flight 28 took off from the Lockheed Air Terminal in Burbank, California. At approximately 5:15 p.m., the aircraft was struck by a U.S. Army Air Forces Lockheed B-34 Lexington bomber en route to Palm Springs. As a result, Flight 28 fell from the sky in a flat spin, impacting a rocky ledge in Chino Canyon below San Jacinto Peak before crashing into the desert and exploding. All three crew members and nine passengers on board the aircraft died in the crash. Among the victims was Ralph Rainger, an award-winning composer and Hollywood songwriter. On the other hand, the two Army pilots aboard the B-34 sustained no injuries. The Army pilot later faced a court-martial trial on manslaughter charges. However, the military board found him not guilty.

3. American Airlines Flight 63 (Flagship Ohio)

• Date of crash: July 28, 1943

• Total people onboard: 20

• Survivors: 2

Dubbed "Flagship Ohio", American Airlines Flight 63, a Douglas DC-3, took off from Cleveland at about 5:42 p.m. on July 28, 1943. All aboard were eighteen passengers and four crew members. It made scheduled stops in Columbus, Dayton, and Cincinnati. At 9:42 p.m., Flagship Ohio arrived at its fourth stop, Louisville. At 9:54 p.m., it received clearance to depart Louisville after refueling. The aircraft was bound for Smiths Grove, Kentucky, with a projected arrival time of 10:54 p.m.

However, the plane lost altitude around Smiths Grove due to extreme turbulence and strong downdrafts caused by thunderstorms. The plane clipped a clump of trees and skidded across an open field. It finally came to rest upright in a copse of trees, roughly 1,000 feet away from the initial impact. All four crew members perished, and of the eighteen passengers, only two survived the crash. Following the loss of the Flagship Ohio, American Airlines replaced the aircraft with sister Flagship Missouri. However, Flagship Missouri would crash three months later.

4. American Airlines Flight 63 (Flagship Missouri)

• Date of crash: October 15, 1943

• Total people onboard: 11

• Survivors: 0

After the loss of Flagship Ohio, Flagship Missouri took up her sister's routing, which was Cleveland-Columbus-Dayton-Cincinnati-Louisville-Nashville-Memphis. On October 15, 1943, Flagship Missouri departed from Cleveland, Ohio, at 5:56 p.m. and made stops at Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Louisville, and Nashville. The flight departed Nashville normally. At 11:06 p.m., the pilots asked for and received permission from the Nashville air traffic control (ATC) to climb to 8,000 feet.

However, ice had formed on the aircraft's wings and propellers. This made it impossible for the plane to maintain altitude. As a result, the plane lost altitude and gradually descended until it crashed into a forested hill. All aboard, eight passengers and three crew members, died in the crash.

• Flagship Missouri wasn't the final American Airlines "Flagship" aircraft to suffer a fatal crash.

• "Flagship New Haven" crashed January 22, 1952 in the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, killing all 23 occupants on board plus seven civilians on the ground.

• "Flagship Bristol" crashed and caught fire on September 16, 1953, killing  all 28 occupants on board.

• "Flagship Nashville" crashed in Springfield, Missouri, on March 20, 1955, killing 13 of the 35 occupants on board.

• "Flagship Philadelphia" crashed on August 4, 1955 in Missouri, killing all 30 occupants onboard.

• "Flagship New York" crashed into the East River on February 3, 1959, killing 65 of the 73 occupants on board.

• "Flagship Connecticut" crashed on August 15, 1959 in Calverton, New York, killing all five occupants onboard.

• "Flagship Oklahoma" crashed in New York on January 28, 1961, killing all six occupants onboard.

5. American Airlines Flight 1 (Boeing 707)

• Date of crash: March 1, 1962

• Total people onboard: 95

• Survivors: 0

On March 1, 1962, American Airlines Flight 1, a Boeing 707-123B, was traveling to Los Angeles from New York when it rolled over and crashed into Jamaica Bay in NYC, just two minutes after taking off. All 87 passengers and eight crew members aboard perished in the crash. At the time, it was the nation's highest death toll involving a single commercial airplane and the fifth fatal Boeing 707 accident.

6. American Airlines Flight 383

• Date of crash: November 8, 1965

• Total people onboard: 62

• Survivors: 4

On November 8, 1965, American Airlines Flight 383, a Boeing 727-100, departed from New York City to Cincinnati, with 57 passengers and 5 crew on board. On final approach to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Flight 383 descended more rapidly than it should have, eventually exploding and engulfing in flames. Out of the 62 people on board the plane, only four survived, including one flight attendant and three passengers. The Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) investigated the crash and determined its probable cause to be the pilots' failure to properly monitor their altitude during a visual approach into deteriorating weather conditions.

7. American Airlines Flight 191

• Date of crash: May 25, 1979

• Total people onboard: 271

• Survivors: 0

On the afternoon of May 25, 1979, American Airlines Flight 191, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10, was taking off from then-existing runway 32R at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago when its left engine detached from the wing, causing the pilots to lose control. The plane crashed about 4,600 feet from the end of the runway, killing all 271 occupants on board plus two people on the ground. As of the time of writing, this aviation accident remains the deadliest to have occurred in the U.S.

8. American Airlines Flight 965

• Date of crash: December 20, 1995

• Total people onboard: 163

• Survivors: 4

On December 20, 1995, American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757–223 bound for Cali, Colombia, took off from Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida. Most of the passengers onboard the aircraft were returning to Colombia for the Christmas holidays. Others were vacationers and business travelers. Around 9:40 p.m. local time, Flight 965 crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia. 151 passengers and all 8 crew members perished in the crash. Initially, five passengers survived the crash. However, one died two days later of his injuries. Additionally, a dog locked in a carrier in the cargo hold survived the crash.

9. American Airlines Flight 587

• Date of crash: November 12, 2001

• Total people onboard: 260

• Survivors: 0

On November 12, 2001, American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 bound for the Dominican Republic, departed JFK International Airport. Shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed into the neighborhood of Belle Harbor, killing all 260 people aboard. Five bystanders on the ground also died as the result of the accident. This tragedy stands as the second-deadliest aviation accident in United States history, after the crash of American Airlines Flight 191. It was initially thought to be another terrorist attack, given the location of the accident and the fact that the accident occurred only two months after the 9/11 attacks. But investigations by the NTSB proved otherwise.

Hilda Yolanda Mayol, one of the 260 people who perished in the crash of Flight 587, had previously survived the 9/11 attacks. She had reportedly escaped from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. On November 12, 2001, she was traveling with her mother and children, trying to escape the trauma of the attacks, when Flight 587 crashed.

10. American Airlines Flight 5342

• Date of crash: January 29, 2025

• Total people onboard: 64

• Survivors: 0

On January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 bound for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, took off from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport. At 8:47 p.m. at an altitude of about 300 feet, the plane was struck by a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The aircraft was on final approach into Reagan National Airport when the collision occurred, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft. There were 64 people aboard the airliner and three crew members aboard the helicopter.

Read also: List of 7 Deadliest Plane Crashes in Delta Air Lines History

1. Delta Air Lines Flight 4

• Crash date: August 14, 1935

• Total people onboard: 4

• Survivors: 0

On August 14, 1935, Delta Air Lines Flight 4 was en route to Shreveport, Louisiana. A sudden propeller blade failure caused the left engine to break away from the Stinson Model A aircraft. The pilot tried to make an emergency landing in a Gilmer, Texas cotton field. However, he lost control, and the resulting crash killed all four people on board.

2. Delta Air Lines Flight 705

• Crash date: March 10, 1948

• Total people onboard: 13

• Survivors: 1

On 10 March 1948, Delta Air Lines Flight 705, a Douglas DC-4 with the serial number 18390, crashed while taking off from Chicago Municipal Airport. There were a total of 13 people on board. Only one of them survived the crash. The accident, which happened during the initial climb, was linked to a loss of longitudinal controllability. However, what caused the loss of control remains unknown.

3. Delta Air Lines Flight 318

• Crash date: May 17, 1953

• Total people onboard: 20

• Survivors: 1

On May 17, 1953, Delta Air Lines Flight 318, a Douglas DC-3, took off from Dallas Love Field in Dallas at 1:10 pm, bound for Atlanta. There were 3 crew and 17 passengers onboard the plane. While en route, air traffic control warned the pilots about possible thunderstorms. The pilots acknowledged the message. However, they refused to divert the plane to avoid the thunderstorm. Immediately after entering the storm, Flight 318 was met with lightning, hail, heavy rain, and high winds. The aircraft was eventually forced to the ground, hitting the treetops at a shallow angle of descent. At 2:16 pm, air traffic control radioed Flight 318 for a position update. However, they received no reply. They made further attempts to contact the flight but to no avail. At 2:28 pm, air traffic control learned that Flight 318 had crashed near Marshall, killing 16 of the 17 passengers on board. The lone survivor sustained major injuries.

4. Delta Air Lines Flight 9877

• Crash date: March 30, 1967

• Total people onboard: 6

• Survivors: 0

Delta Air Lines Flight 9877, a Douglas DC-8-51, struck a residential area while conducting a simulated two-engine-out landing near New Orleans International Airport in Kenner, Louisiana, on March 30, 1967. All six people on board died in the accident. Additionally, the crash killed 13 people on the ground. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the accident was caused by a loss of control. The NTSB determined the loss of control stemmed from poor instructor supervision. Additionally, both the instructor and the captain-trainee misused the flight and power controls.

5. Delta Air Lines Flight 723

• Crash date: July 31, 1973

• Total people onboard: 89

• Survivors: 1

On July 31, 1973, Delta Air Lines Flight 723, a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31, took off from Burlington, Vermont, and was bound for Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts. It was supposed to make an intermediate stop in Manchester, New Hampshire. However, at 11:08 a.m., the aircraft descended below the glidepath, struck a seawall about 165 feet (50 m) to the right of the extended runway centerline, and crashed. 89 of the 89 occupants aboard perished. One man survived with serious injuries. But unfortunately, he passed away more than four months later in the hospital.

6. Delta Air Lines Flight 191

• Crash date: August 2, 1985

• Total people onboard: 163

• Survivors: 27

On August 2, 1985, Delta Air Lines Flight 191, a Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar, was traveling from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Los Angeles, California, when it encountered a microburst while on approach to make an intermediate stop at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The plane impacted the ground just over one mile (1.6 km) short of the runway and struck a car. It then collided with two water tanks and disintegrated. There were a total of 163 occupants on board. Of those, 136 people died. 27 sustained injuries in the accident. Of the 27 survivors, 2 died more than a month after the accident. The driver of the car hit by the plane also perished.

7. Delta Air Lines Flight 1141

• Crash date: August 31, 1988

• Total people onboard: 108

• Survivors: 94

On August 31, 1988, Delta Air Lines Flight 1141, a Boeing 727, carrying 108 people crashed shortly after takeoff from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The accident resulted in 14 deaths and 76 injuries. The crew's failure to configure the airplane's flaps or slats for takeoff reportedly caused the crash. The plane's takeoff warning system also failed to warn the pilots of the problem. What's more, the pilots were distracted from properly doing their jobs by improperly engaging in casual conversation on various matters unrelated to the operation of the flight, recordings from the cockpit voice recorder, which were broadcast repeatedly by the press, revealed. In fact, the recordings proved so embarrassing that a law was subsequently enacted, banning the release of cockpit voice recordings.

In part one of her "Kicked Off the Plane for Preaching the Gospel" series, a male flight attendant is seen asking Lynn to get her stuff and follow him.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" Lynn asks the flight attendant, adding, "You can't just tell me to get my stuff and then not tell me what's going on." The flight attendant responds: "The crews don't feel, uh, safe with you." To make the attendant repeat himself, Lynn asks, "They don't feel safe?" to which the flight attendant responds, "Yeah."

"Oh, my gosh! I didn't know the message of Jesus was unsafe," Lynn exclaims. She then asks the flight attendant if she has guns or anything like that. "So, freedom of speech is not safe. If I say something else, will that be okay?" However, the flight attendant refuses to answer her questions.

"I will tell you what this is. It is called spiritual warfare. You know why? Yeah, 'cause demons don't like the name of Jesus," Lynn tells the flight attendant. "Last days, people. Can't talk about Jesus anymore," she says as she exits the plane.

In the video's caption, Lynn revealed that two people gave their lives to Jesus before she was escorted off the plane.

"But here’s the amazing part: God still moved. Two people gave their lives to Jesus!" she wrote in the caption. In a subsequent video, Lynn claimed that the flight attendants harassed and disrespected her. In this video, a female flight attendant is seen behind her, whom she claimed pushed her bag.

"I kid you not—the flight attendant behind me pushed my bag with her foot and then blatantly lied, as if I was making the whole thing up," Lynn wrote, adding: "Looking back at these videos, I can see the spiritual battle that was taking place. I truly believe there were demonic influences at work, and you can see it in the way people were acting and in their faces. Then they all stood at the doorway of the plane like I was some criminal. Unbelievable."

She also accused the male flight attendant in another video of attempting to shut the door on her in the hallway, an action she described as demonic.

"I’m telling you, demons are real," Lynn wrote, adding, "This guy literally tried to shut the door on me."

She continued: "I had a feeling he wasn’t going to notify the airline, and sure enough, he didn’t."

According to Lynn, "I called the airline, and they had no idea what had happened."

Reflecting on the outcome, Lynn stated, "Praise God for His favor—they didn’t charge me a fee. I never even told them the situation. That was the Lord."

She further alleged, "He tried to set me up so I’d have to pay to change my flight after they kicked me off the plane."

Concluding her thought, Lynn teased, "But wait until you see what he tries to do next. It’s unbelievable," before adding, "I truly pray for this man."

In-flight evangelism isn't against the law. That said, airlines have policies, which differ slightly depending on the carrier. But generally, these policies require travelers to follow the instructions of flight crews. Additionally, these policies do not specifically address preaching on flights, but require that passengers avoid offensive, annoying, or disruptive behavior.

In-flight evangelists often say their messages are welcome, even by some flight attendants. However, there are also in-person protests. In her article, "Preachers are turning planes into their pulpits," Hannah Sampson, a staff writer at The Washington Post, talked about how Lynn had gotten cursed at and heckled, and documented an instance where law enforcement officers responded to a call about her preaching in an airport.

On July 17, 2026, Claudia Carolina Rodriguez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan-born south Florida woman was detained by ICE officers at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport while preparing to board a domestic flight.

Rodriguez is currently being held in federal immigration custody in Pompano Beach, CBS Miami reports, citing Rodriguez's family.

Rodriguez, per her relatives, had Temporary Protected Status (TPS). It is expired, however. The family says at the time of her arrest, Rodriguez had a pending political asylum application. ICE officers detained Rodriguez on July 17 as she was walking toward her departure gate.

Rodriguez's cousin, Ruth Lares-Caglione, told CBS Miami that Rodriguez was going to North Carolina to watch some games with some friends when she was detained. Law enforcement agents approached and arrested her after she cleared security, says the family.

Immigration attorneys and advocates are reporting a rise in domestic travel arrests by ICE officers. This trend especially impacts individuals with expired visas or pending immigration cases.

"This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly," said a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson in a statement to CNN this week, adding, "Unless it is out of our country to self-deport."

Rodriguez, according to her family, initially spent eight days at the Miramar processing facility. She was later transferred to the Broward Transitional Center, the family says, noting that the Miramar facility is a processing center, not a long-term detention facility.

Following her arrest, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, south Florida congresswoman, visited the ICE Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach unannounced and requested to speak with Rodriguez. Albeit Schultz wasn't permitted to meet with Rodriguez in person, she was able to speak with her by phone for nearly 15 minutes, per CBS Miami. The congresswoman told the outlet that Rodriguez described difficult conditions during her stay at the processing center.

"She had no shower for that entire time," the congresswoman said, adding that Rodriguez had the same clothes on that were never cleaned for that entire time. Additionally, Schultz said all the detainees there never go outside.

Rodriguez has built her life in south Florida. Therefore, for her family, the case is especially difficult. She recently earned a master's degree from St. Thomas University and is described as someone who enjoys spending time with family, not someone who should be treated like a criminal, says her relatives. Her cousin, Gabriel Dominguez, told reporters that his biggest fear is that Rodriguez could be deported to Venezuela. Per Dominguez, Rodriguez hasn't been to Venezuela since she was a child.

Dominguez said: "My biggest fear is that she gets deported to a country where she hasn't been since she was a kid."

Rodriguez's family cannot understand why a domestic flight led to her detention. According to Local 10 News, Rodriguez moved to the United States in 2017. Shortly after arriving, she applied for asylum and received Temporary Protected Status in 2023. Her asylum case remains pending.

A Frontier Airlines flight taking off from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport experienced a brief delay after a passenger realized her wallet was missing. Hannah Laps, an Ohio real estate agent, was one of the passengers who witnessed it all. She succeeded in capturing the whole incident on her phone. On July 12, 2026, she shared the video on Instagram, which has since amassed over three million views. The video shows the victim, Lauren Eaton, who is a bride-to-be, confronting the woman suspected of stealing her wallet, which she had accidentally left at the airport.

The confrontation quickly drew everyone's attention. And the cabin became an audience watching the drama unfold live.

Lauren Eaton was traveling to her bachelorette party when she found her wallet missing. She looked everywhere and couldn't find it. In a July 15 TikTok video, she described that she even approached the front desk staff. "I’m stressed because if I don’t get my wallet," she said, adding, "I can’t go on this flight. It is my bachelorette trip, so I have to go on this trip."

As a last resort, Eaton informed airline authorities of the situation. An announcement was subsequently made on the flight, alerting everyone onboard that the flight was to be put on hold until the wallet was found.

That’s when a couple who saw a woman picking up a wallet at the airport stood up and asked Eaton whether she had a Louis Vuitton wallet, to which she answered, "yes."

"Once everyone boarded, the airline announced that the bride was missing her wallet and asked if anyone had seen it," Hannah Laps wrote on Instagram, adding, "A couple sitting near me spoke up and said they saw someone take it and gave a description."

The couple then started describing the suspect as a woman wearing a white shirt, black pants, and chunky Converse. Then Eaton and her bridesmaids immediately approached a woman who matched the description.

Eaton told the suspect, “Just give me my wallet back, I beg you.” Initially, the suspect denied it. However, when Eaton threatened her with surveillance footage, she admitted she had the wallet.

"The bride and her bridesmaids walked the aisles trying to find the person based on that description. When they found her, the bride calmly and respectfully confronted her," Hannah Laps continued. "At first, the woman denied having it. The bride explained that they could pull airport cameras and that’s when the woman admitted she had it and got the wallet out of her luggage," she wrote.

The video goes on to show the suspected wallet thief opening the overhead compartment and pulling the wallet out of her bag. After handing Eaton the wallet, the woman casually tried to arrange her bag back as if intending to continue the flight. She was, instead, asked to deplane. As she exited the plane, the video shows other passengers responding with an audible gasp.

The suspect is seen exiting the plane

Everyone appeared relieved that the wallet was found, and the plane would take off now. However, that wasn't the end of the saga. The saga continued as Eaton checked her wallet and found that her cash was gone. "She took your money?!" one of Eaton's friends yelled. The cash was eventually recovered from the suspect, and a subsequent video shared by Hannah Laps shows Eaton counting the money, as the pilot stood beside her, waiting with a gentle smile.

The pilot stands by Lauren Eaton as she counts the money

Thankfully, every dollar was accounted for. Laps shared that the woman was arrested as soon as she stepped off the plane.

"The bride handled the entire situation with so much grace," remarked Laps, adding, "She stayed calm, kind, and collected the whole time; honestly, so impressive.”

Lauren Eaton is seen smiling after getting her wallet and money back.

Albeit this was not how Eaton wanted to start her bachelorette trip, the saga ended with her getting everything back.

The incident made international news, prompting high-level international aviation investigations. It also prompted many travelers to question Ryanair fleets' safety. If you are worried whether it is safe to fly with Ryanair, here is what Neil Sorahan, Ryanair's chief financial officer, says. Shortly after the July 10 incident, Sorahan, in a statement, said travelers do not need to worry about the safety of Ryanair’s fleet. But do not take his word for it.

Here is the record.

Does Ryanair Have Zero Crashes?

How many plane accidents has Ryanair had? As of July 2026, Ryanair has had zero fatal plane crashes, which is impressive for such a large airline. Also, the airline has had zero passenger fatalities since its founding in 1985, as of the time of this article. That said, as is the case with other airlines, Ryanair's aircraft do experience non-fatal emergencies.

These include medical diversions, severe turbulence, or mechanical issues. Ryanair also has a non-fatal plane crash on record. It is the November 10, 2008, incident. On that day, Ryanair Flight 4102 suffered multiple bird strikes while landing in Rome. The plane landed safely but sustained a massive amount of damage.

According to the record, there were 172 people onboard. Of those, two crew members and eight passengers sustained minor injuries. The 8-month-old Boeing 737-800 jet used for the flight had been written off. When an aircraft is written off, it means it is a complete loss. Fixing the damage costs more than the aircraft is worth. Or, the damage cannot be fixed safely. The November 10, 2008, accident caused substantial damage to Ryanair Flight 4102, which led to it being written off. And, it was a miracle for all the 172 people onboard to have survived with only minor injuries.

Where Does Ryanair Rank in Safety?

Thanks to its fatality-free history and fleet consistency, Ryanair has a perfect safety record. It consistently appears on the list of safe low-cost airlines worldwide. Actually, Ryanair is deemed the third safest low-cost airline in the world! In the year leading to March 2026, Ryanair safely carried 208 million passengers, up 5% on the 197.2 million passengers carried in 2024. On July 29, 2026, the company announced on its corporate website that it has carried over 7 million passengers through Belfast International Airport alone since it began operations to and from the airport a decade ago.

Safety and security remain Ryanair's No. 1 priority, and the airline's fatality-free history backs this up. Currently, the company has what it calls the "2025 – 2029 Safety Strategy." Per the airline's website, this strategy, which builds on the significant achievements of previous strategies and establishes safety goals for the future, will include significant investment in its people, infrastructure, technology, and training. Also, the safety strategy will include "an unwavering commitment to a positive safety and security culture," the company says.

To this end, the company says it is working with a team of over 27,000 dedicated aviation safety professionals. "We look forward to working with our Team of 27,000+ dedicated aviation safety professionals," the airline says on its website, adding: "to achieve the goals we have set ourselves in this 2025 – 2029 Safety Strategy." What's more, Ryanair says it has identified five focus areas and fourteen strategic safety goals, which you can download on the company's website.

So... Is it safe to fly with Ryanair?

Everything considered, yes, it is totally safe to fly with Ryanair. It follows strict European Union aviation regulations. The airline flies a standardized fleet primarily consisting of Boeing 737 aircraft, which remains statistically safe for commercial travel. On its website, the company says it is investing $22 billion in 210 new Boeing 737-8200 ‘Gamechanger ’ aircraft. Per the company, this means 4% more guests, 16% less fuel burn, and 40% less noise emissions.

Further, the company says it will receive a further 300 new Boeing 737-MAX 10 aircraft by 2034. This aircraft not only carries 20% more guests, but burns 20% less fuel and, according to the airline, is 50% quieter than its Boeing 737-NG Fleet.

She found herself locked outside in the cold for over three hours. Now, she is calling it "the most ridiculous city airport in the world."  The traveler, who goes by the name of Christine Nobles, took to social media on July 27, 2026, to share her frustration after arriving at Sydney Airport late at night.

Upon arriving, she discovered that both the domestic and international terminals were closed, not for minutes, but hours. Aero Saga has learned that the overnight shutdown is linked to the Sydney Airport Curfew Act 1995, which is governed by federal legislation. Aimed at protecting nearby residents from night noise, the law bans most aircraft from taking off and landing at Sydney Airport between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM.

This means regular services do not operate between 11pm and 6am, making it one of the most stringent airport curfews in the world. Sydney Airport stands alone. It's the only major airport in Australia bound by a legislated overnight curfew.  Christine, who says she is from the Czech Republic but lives in Bali, was appalled by the experience.

In a Facebook video, she questioned why a major city airport would not operate 24 hours a day. "Sydney has got to be the most ridiculous, big city airport in the world," she said, adding that the cold weather made the situation even worse as she waited for the terminal to open at 4am.  She said: "Right now it's like 11 degrees outside... I'm freezing."

Christine also didn't like the way she was treated at the terminal as the airport closed. "They just come to you, and they are very rude," she said in the video, adding: "And they're like, 'Leave the airport. The airport is closed.'"

Christine said the airport train also stopped running. So getting between terminals also became difficult overnight and she had trouble arranging a taxi. She said: "I'm at the international terminal. I'm supposed to be going to the domestic terminal. And the trains are not going."

Eventually, Christine found a taxi.  "I hate Sydney Airport," she said, promising herself that she'll "never, ever come here again." Justin Brownjohn, RMIT University Aviation Academy Senior Manager, told Yahoo News Australia that Christine's lack of research and some technical issues she had in arranging transport have exacerbated her situation. And that's not the airport's fault, Brownjohn added.

And still, mistakes happen. A pilot misreads instructions. A controller gets a call sign confused. Fog rolls in at the wrong moment. It doesn't take much. Most near-misses never make headlines. They get caught in seconds, alarms blare, planes adjust, and everyone moves on.

But every so often, the margin gets thin enough that people notice. That's when a routine day at a busy airport turns into a story.

It happened in Atlanta on Monday, July 27, when two Delta planes had a close call at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

The incident reportedly triggered anti-collision alarms in both cockpits.  As reported by CNN's Aaron Cooper, Delta flight 1568 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was touching down at ATL, when its pilot asked the tower: "Somebody on the runway?". Per a recording of air traffic control audio obtained by CNN, the tower responded: "He's exiting now."

Nevertheless, the pilot decided to circle the airport and attempt another landing, as he was concerned that the other plane wouldn't move out of the way in time for them to land safely.  However, while executing this maneuver, the plane reportedly got too close to flight 2472, bound for Rochester, New York. Flight 2472 had just taken off from a parallel runway and the tower directed its pilot to turn right and climb 4,000 feet, per CNN.

Per CBS News' report, the anti-collision alarm bells sounded in both planes' cockpits, warning them that they were on a collision course. "My goodness," one pilot shouted, as the alarm bell sounded. At their closest point, the planes were separated by approximately 600 feet in altitude and 1,800 feet horizontally, CNN reported. The outlet cited data from Flightradar24.

Long story short, the controller helped direct the aircraft away from each other, with no injuries reported. What's more, both planes landed safely.  In a statement, Delta Air Lines said "safety remains at the core of everything we do," adding that its crew have trained extensively for incidents like this.  That said, some people flying in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport say the news made them nervous to fly.

Some of them learned of the near collision between the two planes as they were on a flight about to land in Atlanta. One traveler, Daniel Oquendo, was preparing to fly back to Atlanta from Las Vegas when he read about the incident on social media. Oquendo told Channel 2 Action News that he was surprised when he saw the animation of how close the FAA says the two planes were to each other. "I already have anxiety from flying," Oquendo told the local outlet, adding: "I'm glad I'm seeing that when I'm on the ground."

As mentioned earlier, rarely do plane collisions happen, but near misses happen more often than people realize. It is dangerous. So it is understandable when someone develops a sudden fear of flying because of something they only just found out about.

On Sunday, July 26, 2026, American Airlines Flight AA2002 took off from Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport, bound for New York JFK. However, the plane was forced to divert to Kansas City International Airport (MCI). No official passenger count has been publicly released, but a typical Boeing 737 or Airbus A321 holds between 170 and 190 passengers at full capacity.

Passengers were initially told that the plane was being diverted because of a "maintenance issue." This announcement was to keep them calm. However, upon landing at MCI, they found out that wasn't the case. Apparently, the plane was forced to divert due to a security threat. Aero Saga has learned that, upon touching ground, seven police cars and two buses surrounded the plane. Travelers were forced to deplane and leave everything on board, including passports and phones. Law enforcement officials started boarding the plane. After the emergency security rescreening, no threat was found.

Worried family and friends took to Reddit to find out what was going on.

"How will we be notified that the 'incident' has concluded or resolved?" the original poster asked in the comments, adding: "Still haven’t gotten a text from my family member indicating everything is good."

"My wife is on the flight. She called saying they had to deplane and the FBI were boarding the plane," a user commented. "It looks like American Airlines has updated the flight from MCI to depart at 9:30 pm local," the user added.

Then someone onboard the plane confirmed: "Can confirm we are back on the plane. Told there was threat to plane once on the ground, in the air it was a ‘maintenance issue’ - to keep us calm I’m sure." The passenger added that they had to leave everything behind and spent two hours or so in the luggage hall.

The plane was scheduled to depart MCI at 9:30 pm local time, arriving at JFK at 1:27 am.

Aero Saga has reached out to American Airlines for comment.

The flight attendant took to the subreddit r/flightattendants on July 25 to share her story. Until that time, she had zero interesting stories. The woman says she was only seven months into the job, and had just finished her probation period. Then she boarded a morning flight from Philadelphia to Boston. She was working in the back galley when suddenly, she heard a terrible sound behind her.

It "sounded like clumpy liquid falling onto the galley floor behind me," she wrote. She turned around and saw a man in his 40s standing there. The man was "harfing all over my galley floor with his head resting against the wall," she said. According to her, both bathrooms were occupied, so the man simply could not hold it in. The flight attendant says she suffers from mild emetophobia. This is a fear of vomit.

She panicked. All the same, she tried to help. She grabbed a trash bag and held it out for the passenger. The man turned around and sprayed another load onto the door and the bag. His eyes were closed, so he could not aim. Then the unthinkable occurred. The vomit hit the plastic bag and bounced back into the flight attendant's mouth.

"The spray hit the bag that I was holding in front of me, and bounced back into my neck and LITERALLY INTO MY MOUTH," she revealed. She swallowed about a teaspoon of the liquid. She says it was a mixture of hotdog chunks and corn. "having someone's half-digested corn and hotdog chunks dripping from your own chin is NOT the job I signed up for," she said.

The passenger felt terrible anyways. He apologized over and over. But the damage was already done. The flight attendant rushed to the bathroom and threw up from the taste and the smell. The passenger explained he had Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome. This rare condition makes him vomit violently for no reason. The passenger explained that it happens to him once every few years. He was deeply humiliated. He even offered to clean the entire mess, despite the flight attendant encouraging him to return to his seat.

She had to clean the mess herself while still tasting the vomit. She used a scooper to scrape chunks out of the seat cracks. She sanitized the seatbelt. Finally, she buried the mess under paper towels and coffee grounds. Her uniform was ruined. She was covered in "warm, steamy puke." She filed an official safety report with photos. "I apologize in advance to whoever has to process my safety report and see the pictures," she wrote. And now, she is terrified to go back to work. She concluded her post with two questions: "Can anyone top this? And do I HAVE to go back tomorrow?"

"Vomit is a biohazard," a user commented. "You will probably have a very nice series of vaccines and injections coming your way," to which the flight attendant replied: "Yeah! Inflight called me and asked me to monitor symptoms for the next 48 hours and to report any, and they mean ANY ailments or symptoms that creep up. Girl I'm tripping every time I sneeze or sniffle now!"

"I don’t know what I’d do in this situation other than pass away," wrote another commenter.

Another chimed in: "girl be so careful i saw a tiktok where an emirates fa had that happen and got MENINGITIS."

"Well. You just talked me out of ever being a flight attendant," wrote another.

Although many commenters said they would quit the job if this had happened to them, the flight attendant later gave an update, saying: "I'm going back tomorrow lmao. I picked up this 29 hour 4-day and need the per diem."

Albeit it was an exciting moment and an easy decision for Gane and her boyfriend, it was far from a top-tier offer.

Recently, a college student took to social media to share a major score. Per a post in the Delta subreddit, the student, who goes by the username timotheySKI on the platform, says he was waiting to board a flight from Boston to Paris when the agent asked for nine volunteers to fly out the next day, offering $800 per passenger. The airline didn't get enough responses. As a result, they raised the amount to $1,500. The student eventually went up to the counter and said he'd volunteer for $1,800. The gate agent agreed. That said, nothing was finalized as they kept soliciting the additional volunteers they needed.

The offer kept growing, as the airline already got five volunteers. They increased it to $2,500, with four more volunteers needed. Ultimately, "The offer rose to a full 3000 dollars," said TimotheySKI, as he waited with the other volunteers. Not only were they all rebooked for the same flight the next day, but they also received "all sorts of vouchers." TimotheySKI scored in the end. According to him, he "got paid $3000 plus a $48 meal voucher." What's more, he received an Uber credit and a hotel room.

When asked how he was paid, TimotheySKI replied: "Cash, it's in the form of prepaid Visa/Amex cards you have to redeem." He later gave an update that he landed in Paris safely on his rebooked flight. According to him, this flight was also oversold and five people volunteered for $1500.

"I missed the announcement but I don’t think I would have taken it anyways," he wrote.

All the same, TimotheySKI's compensation isn't the highest confirmed volunteer compensation offer on record. In 2022, Delta Air Lines offered $10,000 cash upfront for eight volunteers to give up their seats on a flight bound for Minneapolis.

However, less than an hour into the international flight, the aircraft diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City. In an audio recording obtained by ATC, pilots informed JFK air traffic controllers there were multiple injuries on board. "We have two flight attendants injured due to turbulence," the pilot said, as the plane approached JFK.

"There are 239 souls on board," the pilot went on to inform the controller, adding that the flight would require an overweight landing, which can add stress to the plane’s landing gear and parts of the structure.

In cases such as this, pilots rely on specific techniques to manage the additional weight. According to Flight Radar 24, pilots aim for a ‘firm’ landing rather than a ‘soft’ one in a scenario where an aircraft must land overweight. This is to ensure the aircraft’s weight is supported by the landing gear quickly and effectively, and not prolonged in a floating phase, which, according to Flight Radar 24, could lead to runway overshoot.

Fortunately, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed to PEOPLE magazine that American flight 174 "landed safely" in New York around 11 p.m. local time on Wednesday, adding that the incident is under investigation.

About three hours after landing in New York, passengers departed for London at 01:26 local time, this time aboard another Boeing 777-200ER registration N784AN, per Flight Radar 24. However, shortly after takeoff, the crew encountered an issue with one of the aircraft’s engines, which necessitated a diversion.

This time, the plane diverted to Boston. According to Flight Radar 24, the aircraft burned fuel off the Massachusetts coast before touching down at 03:15 local time in Boston.

"You're choking me!" the video shows Gorb shouting and asking witnesses for help. When asked by a witness why she was being detained, Gorb replied, saying, "they're f------ ICE, I'm from Ukraine."

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed to CBS News Bay Area in a statement that Gorb was apprehended at the airport on July 22. Gorb had entered the country lawfully on July 6, 2010, with a visa that permitted her to stay through May 31, 2011, officials said.

However, Gorb never departed. The agency said she lived in the U.S. illegally for 15 years "in violation of our nation's laws."

Gorb is currently in ICE custody at California City Detention Facility in Kern County pending removal proceedings.

In a statement, state Sen. Scott Wiener condemned Gorb's arrest.

He said, "Iryna Gorb made a home in San Francisco," adding that she is "one of many people who help make San Francisco run."

"She is part of our community," the Senator continued, noting that Iryna committed no crime. Nevertheless, ICE violently grabbed her. Wiener said ICE is now trying to deport the 38-year-old woman to Ukraine, a war zone presently being invaded and bombed by Putin.

According to Andy Eblin, who has been a friend of Gorb’s for 13 years, Gorb is a good person who helped out a lot. He said she is a professional photographer and over the years, she has run a vintage pop-up.

ICE agents have been showing up at airports around the country in recent weeks. ICE detentions at airports are on the rise because they have "ID information" about travelers, said Milli Atkinson, director of the Immigrant Legal Defense Program at the San Francisco Bar Association.

The CAA said the federal agents involved wore plain clothes and were not readily identifiable as ICE agents. Apparently, ICE has been conducting similar operations at airports across the country, state airport officials noted.

The airport crackdowns are part of a sudden nationwide surge. Just last week, ICE agents detained a Southwest Airlines flight attendant right on the job in Nashville on July 14. And days later, federal officers stepped up enforcement even further. They pulled a passenger directly off a Southwest jetway in Denver on July 20.

State airport officials said they have only learned about these operations after the fact, and that they did not assist in them in any way.

The CAA said it has no authority to intervene in or prevent such operations. The agency said these operations occurred predominantly in federal-controlled areas. Furthermore, the CAA said its mission is to "provide the safest and most convenient facilities for its workforce and the many families and individuals traveling through Bradley International Airport."

The CAA concluded its statement saying this initiative does not further its mission.

Originally from Jamaica, Lorenzo Thompson was detained at Nashville International Airport on July 14 by New Orleans Enforcement and Removal Operations officers. Per a GoFundMe fundraiser set up for Thompson, he is a "dedicated Flight Attendant" for "a beloved airline."

In a statement, ICE said Thompson lawfully entered the U.S. on April 17, 2021. He had permission to stay in the country for six months. However, Thompson never departed. He remained in the U.S. illegally for five years, violating the terms of his lawful admission.

Thompson was taken into custody without incident and will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings, the agency said. Kristin Foster, a friend of Thompson's, set up a fundraiser to support him through the detention process, as has been the case in multiple other ICE detention cases.

According to Foster, Thompson came to the United States from Jamaica, "seeking safety from life-threatening abuse." "He holds a valid work permit, has no criminal record, no parking tickets," the fundraiser said. The goal is to raise $48,000 for Thompson and, as of the time of this article, $45,638 has been raised.

An American Airlines passenger took to social media on July 20, accusing a fellow traveler of taking his first-class seat because hers wouldn’t properly recline. The 27-year-old passenger, identified as Justin Escalona, said the incident occurred during a flight from New York City to Los Angeles. Escalona made the accusations in an Instagram video, which has now gone viral with over three thousand comments. Escalona said he was aboard AA flight 171, sitting in first class for the five-and-a-half-hour flight thanks to an upgrade. However, he was abruptly awoken from a snooze by another passenger.

He said he thought it was because the woman "wanted a better view or something." But no. The woman wanted his seat because hers wouldn't recline. In a subsequent Instagram post, Escalona clarified that he would have been willing to give up his seat for the woman for a sentimental reason, or if the woman possibly wanted a better view.

However, when he discovered that the woman simply didn’t like her chair, he thought, “no thank you!” According to Escalona, the woman didn’t even say please or thank you. She just bolted over to his chair and wouldn’t get up, he said. He wrote that he would’ve probably said, "whatever, just take it I’m feeling nice," had the woman been polite about it. Sadly, that was not the case.

The woman, who hasn't been identified, allegedly told everyone that Escalona had to move because he didn’t pay for his seat. Escalona said he’s an AAdvantage Executive Platinum member. So, he scored the upgrade to first class because of that. In the now-viral video, the woman is seen refusing to get out of Escalona’s seat, clutching her forehead. The woman told Escalona that his seat was reassigned. But Escalona said no.

He told the woman, "My boarding pass says 6A, yours says 3F."

The video eventually shows the woman gathering her belongings and snarking, “you are such a…” before getting cut off. A passenger across the aisle quipped to Escalona, “bro you almost got robbed!” after he returned to his seat.

While this woman ultimately agreed to move, other viral incidents have ended much worse. Many seat-stealers flat-out refuse to budge. So, what should you do if someone steals your seat? Experts say instead of confronting the passenger, you should report the situation to a flight attendant. You can make a quick, polite attempt to check for an honest mistake. That said, you should never argue or try to force someone to move.

Rosalinda Randall, a California-based etiquette expert, warns against fighting back. She notes that if a "seat squatter" refuses to move, you should "not engage." You should not recruit other passengers to rally either. Instead, she says you should "immediately request assistance from the flight attendant."

During a ticketing dispute last week at San Francisco International Airport, a man says he was offended and shocked after a United Airlines employee threatened to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on him. The 54-year-old customer, who goes by the name of Julio Varela, was traveling with his family to Montreal on July 14 when he found that his daughter's ticket had her middle and last names mixed up.

This error sent him and his family back and forth between Air Canada and United Airlines counters for over two hours. According to Varela, an Air Canada employee was trying to resolve the issue when they were joined by a United employee.

He told CBS News Bay Area that the incident started when the unidentified United employee was rude and dismissive to him at the ticket counter. When Varela asked for the employee's name to report her, she refused to give it to him. Varela then pulled out his phone and started recording her. The employee later did the same.

In the video of the altercation, which has gone viral since being posted on Reddit, the employee is seen holding up her phone in front of her face as Varela tries to get her name.

According to Varela, the employee said to him, "I already told you. I can't do anything. Whether you fly out or not, I don't care." Varela said that's what triggered him to say to the employee: "You're rude and you're lazy."

Next, the employee can be heard saying, "Maybe we should call ICE on you."

Varela said he was not going to back down after the employee threatened to call ICE, so he told her: "No, call ICE."

Varela, who identified himself as Hispanic and Mexican, said the employee's comment was especially concerning, given recent public attention surrounding ICE actions.

Following the incident, United Airlines issued a statement saying: "We're looking into the interaction in this video," adding that the company doesn't "have anything additional to share at this time."

Varela said a United representative contacted him to get his side of the story. The two sides communicated briefly by email, but Varela said the representative later stopped contacting him. United is yet to provide additional details about the incident. As of the time of this writing, that is.

Sucia Island is north of Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, San Juan County, Washington. Kenmore Air said ten passengers and a pilot were on board at the time of the crash. According to the company, all of the people were rescued. The pilot was rushed to Skagit Valley Hospital.

Four passengers were transported to PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center, according to Kenmore Air. The remaining six people were rushed to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. However, one of the passengers is in critical condition, said the San Juan County Sheriff's Office.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the victims' injuries range from "head injuries to broken bones and lacerations." The cause of the crash is unknown. In a statement, David Gudgel, the CEO of Kenmore Air, said "We are grateful that everyone aboard has been accounted for...", adding that the company is fully cooperating with the investigating authorities and will continue providing verified information as it becomes available.

Kenmore Air extended its sincere thanks to the agencies that responded to the scene. These include San Juan County Parks, U.S. Coast Guard, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, Lopez Island Fire and Rescue, and San Juan Island Fire and Rescue.

According to an ICE spokesperson, Morales entered the country on Oct. 20, 2024, on a J-1 visa that expired Jan. 4, 2025. She was traveling from Denver to Oakland. A GoFundMe page for Morales says she lives in Oakland, California.

She has a work permit and a pending asylum case. However, ICE said in a statement that having a work permit and/or a pending asylum case does not mean a person is in the United States legally. Furthermore, the agency said it does not prevent it from "arresting or deporting an illegal alien from the country."

Morales is currently being held at the GEO ICE Processing Center in Aurora, Colorado. As has been the case in multiple other ICE detention cases, a GoFundMe has been set up to support Morales through the detention process.

In less than two days, the fundraiser surpassed $100,000. The goal is to raise $150,000 for Morales. According to fundraiser organizer Alicia Dantzker, the funds will be managed by Morales' friends while she is being held by ICE.