Months after the shocking video of David Dao's arrest made headlines around the world, another confrontation between an airline passenger and police is attracting attention.
In a video filmed by a Southwest Airlines passenger earlier this week at the Batlimore-Washinton International Airport, officers can be seen dragging a woman out of her seat and walking her down the aisle towards the plane's exit. The passenger is reported to be Anila Daulatzai, a 46-year-old college professor from Baltimore.
Another passenger who recorded Daulatzai's arrest says that the strange encounter started when a pair of dogs boarded the airplane - one was a pet and one was a service animal. He says that Daulatzai complained to the flight crew that she had a life-threatening allergy to dogs.
Police say that the passenger asked a flight attendant to remove the animals, and also asked for an EpiPen (which is used to treat severe allergic reactions). Instead, the flight attendant told Daulatzai she had to leave the plane.
What happened next was caught on video. While it's shocking, an unusual rule allowed Southwest to kick the professor out of the plane...
Daulatzai can be hear shouting "What are you doing? My dad has surgery tomorrow!" as she's dragged away by police officers.
In the video, officers can be heard telling other passengers to turn off their phones and stop recording. While some passengers shout supportive messengers to Daulatzai, others tell her to follow directions and leave the plane.
Surprisingly, the airline's rules allow them to remove a passenger with severe allergies from a flight for their own safety if they don't have a medical certificate. Southwest's website says they can seat passengers far away from dogs if they ask at the airport gate, but they won't advise passengers about any dogs on the flight before they board.
Daulatzai was arrested, and charged with disorderly conduct, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, disturbing the peace, obstructing and hindering a police officer, and resisting arrest.
A spokesman for Southwest Airlines says they are "disheartened" by the situation.
Should the passenger have been kicked off the flight? Share this story and tell us what you think!
[H/T: LA Times]
