Fight Breaks Out on Flight After Man Refuses to Wear a Face Mask

An altercation broke out on an Allegiant Air flight from Phoenix to Provo, Utah over the weekend after a passenger allegedly refused to wear a face mask.

The scuffle apparently started when a passenger wearing a face shield began arguing with a flight attendant over having to wear a face mask. Passenger Rylie Lansford captured the incident on camera and posted the dramatic video to Instagram on Sunday.

“It was absolutely insane to me because it’s all about a mask,” Lansford told KSL TV. “It didn’t need to get that way.”

Like most if not all airlines, Allegiant requires all customers to wear appropriate face coverings at all times throughout their journey, including at the ticket counter and gate area.

“All passengers are required to wear a face-covering that covers the nose and mouth at all times while traveling. Face shields may be worn in addition to a face covering, but not as an alternative,” the airline’s policy states.

Last month, a Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit to Los Angeles was forced to return to the gate after a passenger refused to wear a mask. As of September, more than 700 passengers have been banned from flying U.S. domestic carriers for refusing to wear a face mask.