Unruly passenger allegedly assaults passengers on Delta Air Lines flight

An investigation is underway after an unruly passenger allegedly attacked another passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed.

The FAA told Digital that Delta Air Lines Flight 501 landed safely at Los Angeles International Airport around 11:45 a.m. on Monday, after the crew reported a passenger disturbance. 

The agency said the Airbus A350 was traveling from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when the incident occurred on board.

The FAA says it will run an investigation into the alleged assault.

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A spokesperson for the airline shared a statement with Digital and confirmed that they were working with law enforcement authorities and have “zero tolerance” for this type of behavior. 

“Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior and worked with law enforcement authorities on the investigation,” a Delta Air Lines spokesperson shared in a statement.

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The entrance to FAA headquarters in Washington, D.C. (J. David Ake/Getty Images)

Neither the airline nor the FAA shared what happened or if the passenger would face any criminal or civil penalties.

The Los Angeles Fire Department shared with KABC-TV that crew on board the flight stated that an adult male allegedly had to be restrained after biting one passenger and hitting others.

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Crew on board the flight said an adult male allegedly had to be restrained after biting one passenger and hitting others. (iStock)

Officials added that an ambulance took the unruly passenger to the hospital for a psychological evaluation and later returned to examine a passenger he had injured, the outlet reported. 

The FAA said that airlines have reported more than 1,800 unruly passenger incidents in 2024. 

One of those incidents included an “unruly” passenger on board a flight from Cincinnati to Las Vegas, on December 23, that had to be diverted to Kansas City, where the passenger was removed.

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So far, more than 300 of these types of incidents have been logged in 2025, according to the FAA’s website. 

“The FAA pursues legal enforcement action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crewmembers, and can propose civil penalties up to $37,000 per violation,” the agency said.

Stepheny Price is a writer for Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to [email protected]