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A recent incident at Santiago's Nuevo Pudahuel Airport in Chile escalated into chaos as a traveler, enraged by discovering that he had been sold a fake plane ticket, caused significant damage at an American Airlines counter.
Incident at Chilean airport caught on video
The altercation, which was captured on video, showed the man-who had planned to travel to Miami before connecting to Haiti-using a hammer to smash computers and screens at the check-in area.
The traveler, identified as a Haitian construction worker, was reportedly trying to check in for his flight when he learned that his ticket was invalid.
Upon receiving this news, he retrieved a hammer from his backpack and began to vent his frustration on the equipment at the American Airlines counter, causing an estimated $20,000 in damages.
Witnesses at the scene recorded the man's outburst as he destroyed multiple mounted TV screens and computer monitors.
He even attempted to take a luggage cart before being confronted by a bystander.
The Western Santiago Prefecture Police quickly detained the man, who had the hammer with him due to his work in construction.
A spokesperson for American Airlines confirmed the incident, stating, "Local authorities were called to deal with a disruptive individual in the airport lobby area. We thank our team for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience."
Concerning lawsuit filed against American Airlines
This incident at the Santiago airport comes on the heels of a troubling lawsuit recently filed against American Airlines.
The lawsuit was brought by a New Jersey woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted on an American Airlines flight in August 2022.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was assaulted by a male passenger during a flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newark Liberty International Airport.
Despite the assault being reported to flight attendants, the lawsuit contends that American Airlines failed to properly monitor the cabin, prevent the assault, or intervene promptly.
The lawsuit further highlights a growing concern within the airline industry regarding the rise of in-flight sexual assaults.
It cites FBI data indicating a significant number of such cases have been reported.
The woman's legal team is seeking justice, arguing that American Airlines breached its duty of care to ensure the safety of its passengers.
American Airlines has not yet commented on the lawsuit.