A 60-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested after allegedly unleashing a drunken, racist and profanity-filled tirade aboard a Delta Air Lines flight bound for Atlanta, prompting Port Authority police officers to remove him before takeoff.
Jerome Anixter was escorted off Delta Flight 2342 at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City at around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 22, after officers responded to reports of an apparently intoxicated passenger causing a disturbance, law enforcement sources told the New York Post.
Video of the incident, posted on X on October 22 by Shawn Wasson, who uses the handle @thenewsjunkie, has attracted widespread attention. The footage had accumulated approximately 554,600 views at the time of reporting.
The video appears to show the man shouting racial slurs and profanity as officers escort him down the aircraft aisle. At one point, he points his fingers at an officer and repeatedly says, “pow! pow! pow!”, mimicking a shooting gesture.
He also shouts, “Can you believe these mother f–kers?!” and tells another passenger recording the incident to “put it on Instagram.”
According to the New York Post, Anixter was arrested after being removed from the aircraft and charged with assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration. The charges are allegations, not convictions.
"He then cried about how he's going to miss his niece's wedding," according to Shawn Wasson.
"He then cried about how hes going to miss his niece's wedding and then finally being taken off. Wild ride" (3/3) Tipster should be joining us on the show tomorrow.
It has not been established what prompted the passenger’s alleged outburst. Some social media users have questioned whether he was experiencing a mental health issue or was simply intoxicated. The available reporting does not establish a mental health condition, and it would be premature to draw that conclusion from the video.
Delta flight delayed by 45 minutes
Delta Flight 2342 was scheduled to travel from JFK to Atlanta with 160 passengers and six crew members aboard.
The aircraft departed approximately 45 minutes behind schedule following the incident.
A Delta spokesperson told the New York Post:
“Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior, and we thank law enforcement for their assistance in removing this unruly customer.”
The airline also apologized to passengers affected by the incident.
“We apologize to the customers on Delta flight DL2342 for this experience and any delay in their travels.”
Removing a disruptive passenger before departure can prevent a disturbance from continuing in the air, where crew members have fewer options for managing a safety or security problem.
Netizens debate alcohol restrictions and no-fly lists
The video has renewed discussion about alcohol-related disturbances on commercial flights, with some commenters calling for stricter restrictions and others arguing that airlines should focus on individual offenders.
One commenter on the New York Post article wrote:
"Maybe it is time to stop serving alcohol at airports and on planes. There seem to be a significant number of alcohol-related disruptions on flights. If someone “needs” alcohol for the hours involved in travel, they have a serious problem."
Another person responded:
"Try putting these people on the permanent no fly list instead of punishing the majority for a few bad apples."
A third commenter wrote:
"It is baffling that so many flights nowadays are delayed by drunk passengers. This did not occur years ago. Not sure if Airlines can deny boarding of an intoxicated passenger. But something needs to change. It is out of control."
These comments reflect different views about how airlines and airports should address unruly behavior on airplanes. A blanket alcohol ban would affect many passengers who drink responsibly. On the other hand, a no-fly restriction raises questions about the severity of the offence, the evidence and who should make that decision.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 106 of the 915 unruly-passenger cases recorded between January 1 and June 9, 2024, involved disturbances due to intoxication. That represents approximately 11.6% of the cases reported during that period. The figure is a historical snapshot, not a current annual total.
The FAA's figures demonstrate that intoxication is a documented factor in a portion of reported unruly-passenger incidents. They do not establish that alcohol was responsible for Anixter's alleged behaviour.
