Passenger removed from Delta flight after refusing to hang up phone

A Delta Air Lines passenger was removed from an Atlanta-bound flight after refusing to hang up a phone call before takeoff. 

The incident happened on Delta Flight 1323 at Miami International Airport on Monday, April 27.  

Delta said crewmembers made repeated requests for the passenger to end the call while the plane was taxiing, but the customer did not comply and became “disruptive.”  

“The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior,” the airline said in a statement to USA TODAY.

Video shared by Miami’s WSVN shows fellow passengers expressing their frustration at the individual, with one saying, “Please be considerate. Consider yourself and the rest of us.”  

Federal regulations require passengers to follow crewmember instructions aboard aircraft. 

“Failure to follow crewmember instructions may violate FAA regulations by interfering with the crewmember’s ability to perform his or her duties on the aircraft,” the Department of Transportation wrote in a Notice to Passengers on Disruptive Behavior in 2021. “The FAA may impose civil penalties of up to $13,910 for such violations.” 

The plane returned to the gate and the passenger was removed, according to Delta, which apologized to customers for the experience and delay.  

The plane wound up taking off about an hour later than scheduled. 

USA TODAY has reached out to Miami International Airport and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office for additional details.

This story was updated to refresh headlines.