Intoxicated passenger ‘kicked and bit’ officers after removal from Southwest flight

On May 29, a woman was recorded as she was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight for intoxication.

Kamaryn Gibson was a passenger aboard the Southwest flight headed to Texas.

According to NOLA.com, Gibson “kept putting her feet up on the seat in front of her, kicking the passenger in that seat in the head.”

Capt. Jason Rivarde told the outlet the Jefferson Parish police officers in New Orleans were forced to detain Gibson after pilots returned the taxiing plane to the gate.

Officers attempted to have the belligerent passenger leave the plane willingly, but she refused.

The now viral TikTok posted by Johnathan Fancher shows the police pulling the 25-year-old woman from her seat and handcuffing her before removing her from the flight.

Gibson can be heard yelling “I paid for my flight” as she is scuffling with the police.

As the remaining passengers applaud the police for removing the disruptive traveler, Rivarde states their issues continued once they got her off the plane.

“She began fighting with them and continued to fight them on the jet bridge and into the public seating area,” said Rivarde. He added that Gibson bit one deputy on the thigh and kicked two others.

Nola.com states Gibson was finally restrained in a wheelchair and transported to a local jail. She was arrested and booked with three counts of battery of a police officer, disturbing the peace while drunk, two counts of resisting an officer and criminal mischief.

Gibson was released on a $9,700 bond and will have to appear in court to answer to the charges. The Sheriff stated that because of her outlandish actions, the police department is “not dropping any of those charges.”

The Insider shared a statement from a Southwest spokesperson, commending the “outstanding professionalism” of the cabin crew.

“We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for unruly customers,” the spokesperson added.

While the crew gained praise, the TikTok has caused some to question the restrictions around alcohol at airports.

“Airports probably should stop serving alcohol or set like a 2 drink limit lol,” @katiecakes43 commented on the video.

Another user, @ladigambler, commented, “What gets me is that the bars in the terminals just keep serving inebriated people and the Gate Attendants let them board.”

Southwest has seen its share of alcohol-induced issues with passengers. In 2021 the airline banned in-flight alcohol after a passenger punched a flight attendant in the face and knocked two of her teeth out.

At the time of publishing, Gibson has not provided a statement to any outlet regarding the incident.

Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.