A pilot and a female co-worker were fired from Republic Airways due to a violent exchange between them that was caught on a surveillance camera.
The video, obtained by FlyerTalk, shows the male pilot walking across the jetbridge and spitting on the female co-worker. She then slaps him and receives two strikes from the pilot, one in the abdominal area and the other on the head.
The incident happened last month and William Thomas, 36, and Marisha Sporer, 29, were both fired from their jobs, according to a statement by Republic Airways.
The two were allegedly in an intimate relationship according to TMZ.
“They both agreed to break up so Thomas went onto the plane and sat in the cockpit and Sporer went to the gate,” stated a probable cause affidavit obtained by ABC News. “Sporer became angry and went onto the plane to confront Thomas. Sporer grabbed Thomas by the neck tie and slapped him in the face with an open hand three times. Thomas retaliated by grabbing Sporer and striking her in the ribs with a closed fist.”
No passengers were on board at the time and it’s unclear what happened after the incident.
FylerTalk reached out to Republic Airways and a spokesperson responded, “We are aware of a situation that occurred last month involving two of our employees. We investigated this matter and took appropriate action consistent with our belief that such behavior is unacceptable. These individuals are no longer employed at Republic.”
Fight Erupts in Plane When Passenger Attempts to Open Door
A man on a flight in China suddenly demanded a parachute after pounding on the windows and trying to open the hatch of the airplane. He was subdued by passengers and attendants, and taken by security guards after the plane landed, according to state sponsored Chinese news agency Beijing Youth News.
The incident occurred on the evening of May 20 as flight FU6509 flew through China’s southern provinces, from Fuzhou City to Kunming City. The man was not identified and was released on May 24.
The plane landed safely, and only one flight attendant received slight injuries. No other passengers were harmed.
The man was said to be suffering from mental illness, according to Chinese media reports. Mental illness is the reason given for all instances of abnormal behavior in China.
Forty minutes before arriving in Kunming, the man was said to have lost control of his behavior, according to the Beijing Youth News.
Before others began recording footage of the man, he used his cellphone to bang on the windows and attempted to open the hatch, according to the Beijing Youth News. He also reportedly shouted loudly: “I want a parachute!”
Epoch Times reporter Daniel Holl contributed to this report.
