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'Get off the plane,' Delta passengers chant at flyer who refuses to hang up phone

01 May 2026 By foxnews

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A Delta Air Lines flight passenger was removed from a plane in Miami after refusing to end a phone call before takeoff, causing a delay and enraging other travelers.

The incident happened Monday on a flight from Miami to Atlanta, the airline confirmed to Fox News Digital.

Crew members repeatedly told the passenger to hang up while the plane was taxiing, but the person refused to get off the phone and escalated the disruptive behavior, the airline said.

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"The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior," Delta said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels."

The plane returned to the gate, where the passenger was removed.

The flight then departed about an hour later than scheduled, according to flight tracker Cirium.

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Footage of the incident shows other passengers voicing frustration as the situation unfolded, with some urging the individual to be considerate of others on board.

"Get off the plane," one passenger could be heard chanting.

Flight attendants later informed travelers everyone would need to deplane.

"So, we're all supposed to listen, and he doesn't?" another passenger said.

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"Just get him off the plane. He's in the front row," yet another person added.

Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital passengers are required to follow crew instructions.

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"FAA rules require passengers to follow airline procedures, which generally require airplane mode once a plane's doors are closed," Leff said.

He noted that while a single phone is unlikely to interfere with aircraft systems, concerns remain about multiple devices transmitting signals at once.

"No one thinks a single iPhone is going to break a 787," Leff said. "The concern … is that operating together and at scale many devices used by all passengers could create these issues.

"I do have to wonder, though, about a passenger who just refuses to get off their call," Leff said.

"That's going to end badly."