Woman told to check carry-on bag held in attack on LAX police officer

A Los Angeles Airport Police officer suffered minor injuries Thursday while attempting to remove a woman from a Frontier Airlines flight after she became angry over being told that she had to check an oversized carry-on bag, authorities said.

The woman, who was not immediately identified, was booked at the LAPD's 77th Street Division jail on suspicion of battery on a peace officer, Los Angeles World Airports Police Sgt. Belinda Nettles said. The officer was treated and released at a hospital for scratches to his neck and face.

The incident unfolded about 3:30 p.m. when a flight attendant asked the woman to check her carry-on bag into the plane's luggage compartment.

"She became irate," Nettles said.

"When we arrived she was already sitting in her seat and refused to exit the aircraft," Nettles said. "Airport Police removed her and in doing so the officer suffered minor injuries."

Nettles said it was rare for Airport Police to be called about passengers who refuse to check their baggage when they are asked.

"They may fuss about it but people are usually very cooperative," Nettles said.

-- Andrew Blankstein

Comments

[laura]

The woman may well have had fragile items in the bag like computers or tech equipment that would have gotten ruined in the checked baggage compartment and/or would have been possibly stolen since now we're not allowed to lock bags even when they contain valuables.

This passenger was over the top for hitting a cop, there's no excuse for that.
But it's miserable to fly these days, first you're patted down like a criminal.

The new rules limiting carry-ons and charging for all checked bags also discourages people from checking them, it's a recipe for problems. But I'm sure this was over more than a few bucks.

Also I'd bet the flight attendant was pretty rude - they CAN act like nasty dictators since they are on a power trip, sometimes couching rudeness to lowly coach passengers as "security."

Which can mean ANYTHING. I've had a nasty flight attendant threaten to land the plane at some airport midway between NYC and LA just because I was not silent about being kicked out of my assigned (I even had the stub) window seat when I got up to use the bathroom, asked her to remove the interloping passenger, but she refused to even try, ordered me to sit in a middle 5-seat row near the back. What's the point of following the rules, reserving your seat in advance, when you're treated like cattle by flight attendants?

Another time when my child's pre-ordered meal was missing in BUSINESS class on a long, international flight, another (female again) attendant told me I was a bad mother for not brown-bagging it 'just in case" and said she'd get me banned from the airline.

There should be more attention paid to flight attendants who abuse their privilege of claiming "security threat" just because they're rude.

[Dantes Mom]

I hate people who think they are special and think they do not need to check their bags. Give it a rest, and check your freaking bags people. You're just not that special!

[Rob]

LAX firing 250 Travelers Aid volunteers
is consistent with
Los Angeles International is rated one of the nation's worst airports for customer satisfaction
Per J.D. Power 2010 survey

[kuruc]

the authorities should lock up this special woman for a few days. i hate it when special people take their suitcases on the plane and try to put it in the overhead bin.the solution is for the airlines to come up with ONE SIZE ONLY carryon bags.no exceptions.

[Tim]

I was on this flight. That woman was nuts and from what I could hear she was concerned about a bottle of water in her bag and nothing else. She just flat out refused to check her very large bag on a completely full flight. The staff was not rude or nasty to her, until she flipped out and started wailing on the security officer that is.

[boochie]

This is what happens with all the trash that flies today. Learn to pack a small carry on bag and check the big bags if needed.

[Chico Gonzalez]

I love it. Put her in jail.

[Mike G.]

nuts like that one are the reason I always sneak my .38 onto the plane with me.

[Nanabertha]

Please.....in this day and age you do what the Airline employee and the police say to do..With all the nut's on planes.Just do what you told!I just laugh when I think of her sitting and refusing to exit. What an idiot! My roomate once asked a guy to sit down so they could close the door...they kicked him off the flight! I am not fan of airline travel but after all it is their plane!

[ian ussoccer]

passengers think they have rights on that plane. they don't. when they tell you your bag is too big, its too big. crazy lady. she deserved to go to jail. while looking for videos of this incident, which i hope someone took a video, i happened upon another lax video of a bomb scare at LAX last june 19 and the crazy guy got tasered and smacked. what is going on with this world!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bnaJ7KSZVA