Passenger Arrested for Threatening Airlines Staff at Kansas City International Airport

Kansas City: A passenger at Kansas City International Airport sparked a major disturbance on New Year’s Eve, culminating in his arrest after an aggressive confrontation with Southwest Airlines staff.

Video footage, which has gone viral online, shows the man verbally berating multiple airline employees, most of whom were women, and repeatedly threatening physical violence. At one point, he placed his hand on a worker’s computer screen despite being warned to step back, escalating tensions further.

The incident began around 11:30 a.m. in the airport’s unsecured area and drew a crowd of onlookers, some of whom tried to intervene and calm the situation. The passenger reportedly dismissed warnings from staff about calling police, declaring that he did not care about being arrested and threatening to become physically violent if he felt it necessary.

Coworkers and bystanders eventually separated the man from employees, and airport security was called to manage the scene. According to X (formerly Twitter) user Collin Rugg, who shared the footage, the passenger was later taken into custody.

Airport officials confirmed that the incident occurred during a security investigation that temporarily disrupted operations. Police and the FBI cleared the area later in the day, stating there was no credible threat to airport safety. Flights resumed normal operations shortly afterward.

The episode has renewed attention on the growing problem of air rage, a serious concern for airline and airport personnel nationwide.