Delta Air Lines pilot filmed hitting passenger during brawl

A Delta Air Lines pilot has been placed on temporary administrative leave after he was filmed striking a passenger while she brawled with another woman on the floor of an Atlanta jetway.

 

Video obtained by TMZ shows a woman ramming another to the ground while passengers attempt to disembark from a flight at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on April 21.

 

Another passenger can be seen attempting to try to separate the pair, while the pilot seizes one of the women and strikes her.

Delta has since defended the pilot’s actions, claiming he was attempting to “deescalate” the fight.

 

 

“We became aware of this incident and a video last week and immediately removed the pilot from duty while we completed a thorough investigation,” a spokesperson told TMZ.

 

Delta confirmed however the man has been cleared of any wrongdoing and subsequently returned to work.

 

TMZ reports the brawling women knew one another and had clashed earlier prior to disembarking the plane.

 

The women were eventually escorted away from the jetway by a Delta employee and spoke to police. TMZ reports neither women have pressed charges.

 

The video comes in the wake of a high-profile incident in which passenger David Dao was dragged off an overbooked United Airlines flight.

 

Video of the incident sparked global controversy, leading to a public apology by United chief executive Oscar Munoz and a lawsuit by Mr Dao.

 

United has since changed its booking policy to prevent ticketed passengers from being removed from a plane after they have been seated.