An American Airlines passenger was arrested for hitting an employee in Phoenix after being told she couldn’t get on a flight without a mask, according to a report.
Yolanda Yarbrough, 47, of Los Angeles, allegedly struck the gate agent on the head when she was turned away from her connecting flight to Las Vegas at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, news station KSAZ reported.
Video posted to Twitter and later deleted showed the passenger unleash a profanity-laced tirade after being told she was required to wear a mask in line with the airlines’ policy, according to the Arizona Republic.
“After arriving into Phoenix and being informed that they would not be able to take their connecting flight to Las Vegas, the individual became irate and struck an American team member in the terminal,” an airlines spokesman told KSAZ.
Police responded to the gate and arrested Yarbrough on charges for assault, the outlets reported.
She has been banned from flying on the airline pending further investigation of the incident, KSAZ reported.
