EXCLUSIVE
R. Kelly allegedly arranged a coast-to-coast trip for Azriel Clary when she was underage, and the FBI is now looking into the trip to see if Kelly committed a federal crime … TMZ has learned.
Azriel, one of the women featured in “Surviving R. Kelly,” was flown from...
R. Kelly FBI Investigates Azriel Clary Flight When She Was a Minor
Sunday, January 27, 2019
R. Kelly FBI Investigates Azriel Clary Flight When She Was a Minor
Monday, December 31, 2018
"Vanderpump Rules" Brittany Calims Woman Attacked, Put Gum in Her Hair After Fight on Flight
“Vanderpump Rules” star Brittany Cartwright was allegedly attacked after a confrontation with a woman on a flight … and got a wad of gum put in her hair.
Cartwright claims she was using the first class bathroom on a Delta flight to Miami Sunday when a woman shook the handle...
"Vanderpump Rules" Brittany Calims Woman Attacked, Put Gum in Her Hair After Fight on Flight
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Enzo Amore Kicked Off Delta Flight For Vaping On Board
Ex-WWE star Enzo Amore was kicked off a Delta airlines flight Thursday afternoon … after taking a hit of a vape pen and smoking on board the airplane. Amore was on a Delta flight — scheduled to fly from JFK to LAX — but the plane never got off…
Monday, October 22, 2018
Southwest Flight Makes Emergency Landing Due to Non-Consensual Footsie
One of the many stresses of flying is that you don’t know if you’ll be seated beside a normal person, a talker, or maybe some creep masturbating on a Southwest flight.
We hate to refer to this airline incident as non-consensual footsie, but we’re at a loss as to what else to call this creepy assault.
After a man started rubbing his feet upon his neighbor’s and refused to stop, things escalated — and the plane was forced to make an emergency landing.
![Southwest 02](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--KaP_ZV1b--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529433648/attachment/southwest-02.png)
Justin Brafford is a 29-year-old man from Texas.
He is now facing charges for simple assault and for intimidating a flight crew on his Southwest flight from Los Angeles to Dallas.
This began with, as we mentioned, non-consensual footsie as he allegedly rubbed his feet against those of the woman beside him.
Unfortunately, this peak horror scenario was only the beginning of the nightmare that forced a Southwest flight to make an emergency landing.
Not satisfied by merely using his feet to make her life a living hell, he also began verbal harassment.
![Southwest 01](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--mfw3tHd0--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529433633/attachment/southwest-01.png)
It sounds like she tried to weather this assault — and let’s be clear, rubbing your foot against someone without their permission is assault.
But when he allegedly warned her “don’t f–k with me,” she was able to persuade a flight attendant to allow her to change seats.
That should have been the end of her story of the worst flight of her life, right?
Well, Brafford then got up and confronted her at her new seat, apparently offended that he didn’t appreciate his unwanted attention.
Flight attendants tried to intervene and persuade him to return to his seat.
They were unsuccessful.
![Southwest 04](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--hSLWpUjX--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1540225820/attachment/southwest-04.jpg)
Brafford is said to have then launched into an expletive-laden rant aimed primarily at the woman who had fled from his assault.
Apparently whatever he was saying was not only foul, but alarming.
(And, to be fair, his erratic behavior — far beyond what you’d expect from a run-of-the-mill creep who thought he could exploit social norms to cop a feel — was also alarming)
The flight crew alerted the pilot, and the plane was forced to divert and make an emergency landing in Albuquerque.
Brafford was then escorted from the plane.
![Southwest 03](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--NjbXuc7---/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1540225812/attachment/southwest-03.jpg)
That whole incident sounds deeply harrowing and seems beyond explanation.
But police say that they know why it happened.
Authorities say that Brafford was high on methamphetamines.
We don’t mean that he was a little wired — reports say that he believed that he was hearing “calls” from God while on the illicit substances.
He had taken the methamphetamines the day before the flight, and he had apparently overdosed on heroin over the weekend.
If you’d planned on pairing that combo of drug experiences before boarding a flight, we’d advise against it.
![Southwest](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s---0Oxsd-F--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1364528955/attachment/southwest.jpg)
Brafford is, of course, super in jail.
Our legal system may not make it easy for women to get justice when they are assaulted, but misbehavior on airplanes in a post-9/11 world does not go over well.
He could face as much as 20 years behind bars for his prolonged outburst.
He could also face a fine of as much as $ 250,000.
Messing with a flight crew is, after all, a federal offense.
![Southwest 05](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--LOnUwtbB--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1540225830/attachment/southwest-05.jpg)
We’re not normally in the business of feeling sorry for major, oligopolistic corporations. Or of airlines, for that matter.
But we kind of feel for Southwest here. It sounds to us like they responded in the best way possible, but their name is still all over this story.
Officials at Southwest have affirmed for the bajillionth time that their first priority is the safety and comfort of their passengers.
The flight was then able to continue to Dallas without incident.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Tara Reid Removed from United Flight After Flying Into Rage
Tara Reid flew into a rage on a flight, shortly before takeoff … prompting the captain to toss her, and her little dog, off the plane. The incident went down Monday afternoon on Delta Flight 613 from LAX to NYC. Witnesses tell us Tara was…
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Gretchen Wilson Dares Cops To Arrest Her After Rowdy Flight
Country singer Gretchen Wilson was ready to get rowdy on a commercial flight … and she got BUSTED after fighting with a passenger over an airplane bathroom … sources tell TMZ. Wilson was met by State Police when her flight from…
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Tamar Braxton Doesn"t Blame Delta After Pilot Lectured Her on Flight
Tamar Braxton isn’t mad at Delta Airlines after one of their pilots ridiculed her on a flight — which her sis chalked up to #flyingwhileblack — but she does think they make crappy hires. We got the former co-host of “The Real” at LAX just a…
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Dennis Quaid Sued for Allegedly Smoking E-Cigarette on Canadian Flight
Dennis Quaid took a puff on a plane, and broke both the airline’s policy and a fellow passenger’s peace of mind … according to a new lawsuit. A guy named Karl Larsen is trying to drag Dennis to small claims court in L.A., claiming the…
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Tekashi69 Denied Bail, Judge Calls Him Flight Risk
Tekashi69 might flee the country if he’s let out of jail before his extradition to Texas … so, a judge in New York just denied his request for bail. Tekashi and his attorneys were in court Thursday asking the judge to let him out on bail. We broke…
Friday, June 29, 2018
03 Greedo Misses Flight to Prison
03 Greedo failed to appear in court Wednesday to turn himself in for a 20-year prison sentence and we’ve learned it’s because he missed his flight out of Los Angeles. Greedo’s supposed to be a couple days into his stint at the Potter County…
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Ty Dolla $ign Tries To Remove Seeing-Eye Dog From Flight Due To Allergies
Ty Dolla $ ign tried to get a blind woman moved out of her seat on an Air Canada commuter flight because he told her he was allergic to her seeing-eye dog. The rapper was flying from Montreal this past Saturday to Ottawa where he…
Ty Dolla $ign Tries To Remove Seeing-Eye Dog From Flight Due To Allergies
Ty Dolla $ ign tried to get a blind woman moved out of her seat on an Air Canada commuter flight because he told her he was allergic to her seeing-eye dog. The rapper was flying from Montreal this past Saturday to Ottawa where he…
Monday, June 25, 2018
Teen Uses Sign Language to Assist Deaf and Blind Man on Flight
Flying in an airplane can feel frightening and isolating for anyone. This can be powerfully amplified for disabled passengers.
When an Alaska Airlines flight asked if anyone might be able to help communicate with a passenger who was both blind and deaf, a California teen stepped up.
That teen believes that she was put on that flight for a reason.
![Alaska Airlines Clara Daly 1](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--fcsDGWO8--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529959004/attachment/alaska-airlines-clara-daly-1.jpg)
An Alaska Airlines flight made an announcement, asking if anyone onboard knew sign language.
As it happened, a teen girl who is a Calabasas native, Clara Daly, has been learning ASL (American Sign Language), and she jumped at the chance to help.
There was a man on the flight with her who was not only deaf, but blind. As a result, she had to sign into his hand in order to communicate with him.
“They thought that he might need something,” Clara would later explain. “And they weren’t sure how to communicate.”
As it turns out, she says, no emergency situations came up in which she needed to translate. But she was still happy to help.
“He didn’t need anything,” Clara says. “He was just like lonely and wanted to talk”
![Alaska Airlines Clara Daly 2](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--UkNuweP_--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529959026/attachment/alaska-airlines-clara-daly-2.jpg)
Clara’s mother, Jane Daly, shared a series of photos of the encounter and explained what had happened.
“Clara and I flew home yesterday.” Jane writes. “Our original flight from Boston was cancelled (of course!) so Alaskan Airline placed us on an earlier flight out.”
There’s always something when you fly, it seems.
“Clara and I made a mad dash to the airport to make the new flight! (we did, phew)” Jane says.
“Shortly after the flight took off,” Jane says. “A flight attendant made an announcement asking if anyone knew sign language.”
Fortunately, there was just one such person on the plane.
“Clara has been studying American Sign Language,” Jane says. “So she rang the flight attendant button.”
There was a twist, however.
“They explained that the passenger was not only deaf, but also blind,” Jane reveals.
Yes, like Helen Keller.
Jane explains what the attendant told them: “The only way you can communicate with him was by signing into his hand.”
![Alaska Airlines Clara Daly 3](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--zFgQmRtI--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529959034/attachment/alaska-airlines-clara-daly-3.jpg)
From what Jane says, Clara was eager to help.
“Clara jumped up and went to see if she could help…” Jane says proudly. “And she did!”
Jane had started learning ASL because of her own dyslexia, figuring that it was just another way to communicate without writing or reading, since her mind jumbles those letters.
Jane shares: “Several times he requested her assistance throughout the flight.”
Which may mean that Clara was being too modest when she claimed that he didn’t need her help, even if there were no emergencies.
“Toward the end of the flight he asked for her again,” Jane reveals. “And this time he just wanted to talk.”
“She spent the remainder of the flight until landing with him,” Jane says.
“He asked her lots of questions,” Jane explains. “And she signed-spelled the answers into his hand.”
![Alaska Airlines Clara Daly 4](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--3HIod_53--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1529959043/attachment/alaska-airlines-clara-daly-4.jpg)
“The flight attendants and the passengers around him were all taken by Clara,” Jane says. “They took these photos which they shared with me this morning.”
That is so sweet. And Clara suggested that it might have been no mere coincidence.
“After the flight,” Jane reveals. “Clara told me that she thought it was meant to be that our original flight was cancelled and we were placed on this flight so that she could be there to help this man.”
That is such a positive way of looking at an otherwise unfortunate flight cancellation.
“His name is Timothy,” Jane shares. “Our original flight was direct to LA. The new flight had a layover in Portland. Timothy was flying to Portland.”
Jane also says that Clara is being modest about the entire thing.
“She’ll probably kill me for posting this, but – Proud of my girl. #alaskanairlines“
Of course, that very sweet story went viral. Good news is always welcome.
There is no shortage of horrifying viral stories, after all. Especially from flights.
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Couple Gets Married on a Southwest Airlines Flight: WATCH!
A couple decided that there was no place they"d rather get married than on an airplane.
Not a private plane. Not a plane on the ground. Just a regular, commercial aircraft full of other passengers.
It"s a strange story, but very touching, especially when you see how much everyone else played along. Take a look:
"Airplane wedding" might sound like the premise of some god-awful romantic comedy (not all of them are, but this one would be).
Seeing it play out in real life, on the other hand, shows that it can be pretty sweet.
Michael and Renee used the airplane aisle as their, well, aisle. Renee walked towards Michael while Ed Sheeran"s "Perfect" played, because of course.
The pilot of the Southwest flight addressed the entire plane over the intercom, saying:
"They met each other four years ago," the pilot announced. "And this weekend decided to make it at least another four years,"
Everybody"s a comedian.
"They met on a Match.com date," the pilot also shared. "And yes, ladies and gentleman, it really does work."
"They were in beautiful Baltimore when they met," the pilot added. "And it’s happily ever after from there."
Their vows were appropriately tongue-in-cheek under the circumstances.
"I, Michael, take you, Renee, to be my wife, my partner in life, and my travel companion when I become a Rapid Reward Member today, tomorrow and forever."
That"s very cute.
(They danced down the aisle to Chris Brown"s "Forever," which is gross, but it"s inclear whether they or a passanger chose that music)
Skylee Campbell was one of the many passengers who captured this precious moment on video.
"Can’t think of a better way to spend a late-night, 5 hour flight," Skylee wrote. "Other than watching a wedding happen on the plane!"
It makes sense that the airlines are happy to oblige.
First of all, it gives flight attendants and pilots a break from, you know, the mundane agony of just doing their jobs like they do on every other flight.
Second of all, it gives new, free good press for the airline. Do you know how rare that is, these days?
How many videos have we all seen of people getting dragged off of airplanes?
Earlier this month, there were overlapping horror stories from airplanes. One was of a man removed for his foul body odor.
Another was of a man who, according to the woman who was seated beside him, was allegedly masturbating during the flight.
So, yes, a heartwarming story that takes place on an airplane is clearly welcome. From their perspective.
There are ethical concerns to getting marred in a plane in this manner.
The ceremony is sweet, sure. But … the passengers didn"t sign up for this.
These two were effectively tying the knot in front of a captive audience who, rather than being invited to a wedding ceremony between strangers, found themselves immersed in it against their will.
Sometimes public proposals happen like this, but it usually only monopolizes a minute or two of people"s time.
This was a whole wedding ceremony, and the captain was speaking over the intercom. That"s not exactly easy to avoid.
On top of that … imagine having to go to the bathroom while on the flight. That"s an unpleasant prospect at any point, because the process of flying is an exercise in misery.
But interrupting a wedding that you never asked to attend adds extra unpleasantness to being squeezed into a small nightmare bathroom while hurtling through the clouds in a metal tube.
Still … we haven"t actually heard any complaints.
The flight crew reportedly had all of the passengers activate their overhead lights to illuminate the aisle.
It"s such a cute story.
Apparently, the crew was happy to comply.
This couple is hardly the first to get married on a flight, and they won"t be the last.
Honestly, airplane tickets might be expensive considering the conditions that people endure on flights, but they can"t compare to the price of a more traditional wedding.
Good for these two for thinking outside of the box.
And good for the flight crew and passengers for indulging them.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Woman Called a "Smelly Fatty" on a Flight ... But Then a Hero Intervened
Flying on an airplane is an exercise in misery. This is even more true for people who are even slightly larger than average.
One woman’s worst nightmare became a reality when the man seated beside her referred to her as a “smelly fatty.” She broke down into tears.
She says that this is when a heroic other passenger stepped in.
![](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--ZRvCMJs0--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1526589321/attachment/woman-harassed-as-smelly-fat-on-plane-1.png)
In a lengthy post to Facebook, Samantha Phillips shares the story of her humiliation.
“I am only sharing this story of what happened to me today in hopes that the person who stuck up for me will somehow be recognized..”
She gets her wish. Whoops, sorry, that’s a spoiler.
“I’ve been on airplanes for the past three weeks. My flight to Chicago was changed to an earlier flight because of storms, so I didn’t get to pick my seat like a normally do.”
Not ideal at all.
“I always try to sit in a row where I don’t have to sit next to anyone.”
That’s good. Even a window seat is preferable to being stuck in the middle.
“I’m not the biggest person on the airplane, but I’m not the smallest.”
That’s true for most people. Technically, that’s true for all but two people on any given flight. But it seems that she is self-conscious about her weight.
“My worst nightmare is someone being uncomfortable because they have to sit next to me.“
![](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--5P3rRybu--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1526589351/attachment/woman-harassed-as-smelly-fat-on-plane-3.png)
“My seat was assigned at the gate, and when we boarded I was sitting next to an older guy who said he was a comedian.”
That’s how you know that it’s going to be either a great flight or a terrible one.
Samantha got the latter.
“He looked like he was in his 60s and had on bright yellow sunglasses. He stood up so I could get into my seat next to the window.”
This is when the trouble started.
“As soon as I got buckled, he sat back down. The flight attendant started the safety speech and he got his phone out (with huge font and the screen brightness turned all the way up).”
As people age, often eyesight can fail, requiring that they zoom in a little more on their devices. The results can be that it looks like people are using some sort of Fisher Price edition of their phone’s OS.
It also makes their texts almost impossible to not see for those around them.
“His phone was maybe 12 inches from my face and he proceeded to text someone that he was sitting next to ‘a smelly fatty."”
That is … unspeakable.
![](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--AQ1wc16---/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1526589358/attachment/woman-harassed-as-smelly-fat-on-plane-4.png)
As you can imagine, this woman was mortified and crushed.
“I don’t even know what the rest of his text said. I turned my head away as fast as I could.”
Some have tried to shame her for “snooping.” When words are that size, you can’t help but see them. And she was not the only one who saw.
“I was shocked and it was like confirmation of the negative things I think about myself on a daily basis.”
It’s everyone with a self esteem issue’s worst nightmare — learning that others see them the way that they see themselves.
“Before I knew it, I could feel hot, salty tears coming down my face. I sat and cried silently, hoping this guy didn’t try to make small talk.”
Sometimes, something hits you in the emotions before you can safely dissociate. It catches you off guard and the tears come out.
“Because I didn’t trust how I would react and I didn’t want to get kicked off the plane. I was so hurt.”
Of course. What a horrible, impossible situation.
“The pilot came overhead and said there would be a 30 minute delay before he could take off — great. Just more time I would have to sit next to this creep.”
![](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--POHpyePp--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1526589339/attachment/woman-harassed-as-smelly-fat-on-plane-2.jpg)
“We sat on the runway waiting for the OK to take off for about 10 minutes- I sat there unable to stop silently crying.”
Sometimes, humiliation and emotional pain has a snowball effect and cannot be easily silenced.
“I was scrunching myself up against the wall as far as I could. All of a sudden, someone from behind us taps on the guy’s shoulder and says, ‘Hey- I need to talk to you."”
That someone from behind them was a guy named Chase Irwin.
“The guy next to me takes out his headphones. Someone behind us says, ‘We are switching seats. Now."”
Way to take charge, dude.
“‘The guy next to me said, ‘OK- why?’ And I hear someone say (removing curse words), ‘You are texting about her, and I’m not putting up with that."”
When you’re texting in a big-ass font that people beside you and seated on another row can read, you might as well be speaking out loud.
“A guy comes and sits next to me and is shocked when he sees me crying. He asked if I saw the texts and I nodded yes.”
That was probably difficult to admit.
“He encouraged me not to let that guy get to me and that everything was going to be fine. We talked about Ross and the kids, his two year old son, our jobs, amongst other things. “
![](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--fVmxhbCy--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1526589366/attachment/woman-harassed-as-smelly-fat-on-plane-5.png)
“He said he just happened to see that guy’s text messages he started shaking he was so mad and knew he had to do something.”
Most people would probably just sit there and feel sorry for her, or sit there and wish the rude texter dead, or both. This guy actually did something about it.
“He stopped the flight attendant and told her what he was about to do.”
So this wall all sanctioned by the flight crew.
“I told him thank you for what he did and that it meant the world to me — and that he would be my husband’s new favorite person.”
Ours, too!
“The flight attendant kept trying to give him free drinks and told him that he was her hero. “
As pictured, Chase even got recognized by his place of employment. It’s what he deserves.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Apple Sued by Families of Those Killed on EgyptAir Flight 804 for Alleged Fiery Phone
The crash of EgyptAir flight 804 into the Mediterranean Sea that killed 66 people was caused by a hot Apple product … according to a new suit. The families of several of the victims of the May 19, 2016 crash claim the tragedy was due to the…
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Dog Killed on United Airlines Flight Died of Suffocation
Kokito, the French bulldog placed in the overhead bin of a United Airlines flight, died of suffocation … TMZ has learned. According to results of Kokito’s necropsy, conducted at Cornell University, the 9-month-old puppy was the victim of the…
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Southwest Flight Makes Emergency Landing, Passenger Tweets CRAZY Details
WARNING TO ALL READERS:
You may not want to read the rest of this post if you ever want to fly in an airplane ever again…
![sw plane](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--VLsnLc2E--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1523987956/attachment/sw-plane.png)
On Tuesday afternoon, a Southwest Airlines flight en route from LaGuardia Airport in New York to Dallas made an emergency landing in Philadelphia after one of the engines blew and a passenger got nearly sucked out of a window as a result.
As confirmed by a map via FlightAware, Southwest Flight 1380 was headed west/southwest when it took a sharp turn east, back towards Philadelphia.
Accounts from passengers on board have confirmed that an engine on the left side of the plane exploded mid-flight, causing shrapnel to fly across the aisle.
Incredibly, only one person was injured from the blast and he/she was tended to by medical personnel aboard the aircraft.
“We are aware that Southwest flight #1380 from New York La Guardia (LGA) to Dallas Love Field (DAL) has diverted to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL),” said Southwest in a statement, adding:
“We are in the process of transporting Customers and Crew into the terminal. The aircraft, a Boeing 737-700, has 143 Customers and five Crewmembers onboard.
“We are in the process of gathering more information.
“Safety is always our top priority at Southwest Airlines, and we are working diligently to support our Customers and Crews at this time.”
![sw statement](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--L3_CRsce--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1523988538/attachment/sw-statement.png)
As news continues to break regarding exactly what happened, passengers have started to share photos from the plane on social media.
For example, Kristopher Johnson snapped the picture below and shared it to Twitter, thanking the Southwest crew “for a great job getting us to the ground safely after losing in engine.”
Marty Martinez, meanwhile, shared a Facebook live video that depicts him with an oxygen mask on.
“Something is wrong with our plane! It appears we are going down! Emergency landing!!” he says in the footage.
![blown engine](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--FLB76S-8--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1523988621/attachment/blown-engine.jpg)
Martinez later talked to CBS News after the plane had landed in Philadelphia, explaining something went wrong about a half hour into the trip.
“All of a sudden, we heard an explosion and I come to find out that the engine exploded on the left side of the plane,” he said.
“That explosion caused one of the windows to explode in row 17 of the plane, which was just two aisles over from me.”
Added Martinez:
“I thought I was cataloging the last moments of my existence. It was absolutely terrifying.”
![scary flight](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--tKulPiKe--/t_xlarge_p/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1523988978/attachment/scary-flight.png)
Then there was Todd Baur, the father of one passenger onboard, who told NBC Philadelphia that a woman was nearly sucked out of the broken window.
She “was partially … was drawn out towards the out of the plane” and “was pulled back in by other passengers,” Baur said, adding that she was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Philadelphia Airport has Tweeted that passengers should expect delays following an order (since lifted) from the Federal Aviation Administration that had been preventing flights en route to Philadelphia from taking off.
Crazy, right?
While this near-catastrophe might scare some folks away some flying, it may actually encourage others to feel even safer in the sky.
After all… an engine actually blew up and the plane was still able to land safely, with no fatalities.
Pretty amazing, no?
![down plane](https://the-hollywood-gossip-res.cloudinary.com/iu/s--eaKUdmmM--/t_xlarge_l/cs_srgb,f_auto,fl_strip_profile.lossy,q_auto:420/v1523989516/attachment/down-plane.png)
UPDATE: The FAA has issued its statement on what happened to Southwest flight 1380.
It reads as follows:
Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 landed at Philadelphia International Airport this morning after the crew reported damage to one of the aircraft’s engines, as well as the fuselage and at least one window.
The aircraft, which departed from New York LaGuardia Airport, diverted to Philadelphia, where it landed at 11:20 a.m. Eastern.
Passengers exited the aircraft using air stairs. Please contact local emergency response officials for information on the condition of the passengers.
The FAA is investigating the incident and the National Transportation Safety Board has been notified. The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Chicago Cop Who Dragged Dr. David Dao Off United Flight Sues Airline Over Firing
The officer who violently dragged a United Airlines passenger last year says the airline set him up to take a fall, and he believes he was wrongly fired… according to a new suit. James Long was one of the Chicago aviation officers seen on video…
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Dead Dog on United Flight Triggers Criminal Investigation
The death of the dog that was placed in the overhead bin on a United Airlines flight has triggered a criminal investigation. The Harris County, Texas D.A. has assigned the case to the animal cruelty division. The D.A. did not disclose the target of…