Delta Airlines defended a pilot who got involved in an altercation between two women at an Atlanta airport, saying he “deescalated” the incident.
Videos published by TMZ show two women shoving each other and fighting on a jet bridge at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport while deplaning on April 29. The two women were fighting on the ground when a Delta pilot appeared to intervene, grabbing the arm of one of them and striking her.
Delta “immediately removed the pilot from duty” and launched an investigation into the incident, the airline said in a statement. But the pilot is already back to work after the investigation found that he had helped end the fight, according to the airline.
“The pilot has since been returned to work as our investigation found that his actions deescalated an altercation between passengers on the jetway floor during deplaning,” Delta said.
The company also said at the time, the local Atlanta police department was contacted to respond to the incident.
This event comes several weeks after a slew of airline-related incidents involving customers.
Earlier this month, David Dao, a doctor from Louisville, Ky., was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight in Chicago to make space for four United employees. The airline was widely ridiculed and has since apologized for the incident. Last week, the company released a new set of guidelines and practices to ensure a similar incident does not occur in the future.
As a result of the altercation, Dao suffered a concussion and a broken nose, as well as lost two teeth. He and United reached a settlement last week.
Additionally, a flight attendant at American Airlines was suspended last week after a video emerged of him arguing with passengers after he had grabbed a stroller from a mother with a young child.