Southwest Boots Passengers Fighting Over Their Seats From Chicago Flight

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Nov 18, 2015 9:10PM



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At least five passengers were removed from a Southwest Airlines flight out of Chicago's Midway Airport Wednesday morning after a disturbance over seating arrangements, according to Chicago police.

What might have just been an annoying disagreement over a seat saved for friends on a Houston-bound flight took on a darker tone within the context of escalating fears over a terrorist attack following the fatal attacks in Paris. The flight was delayed about an hour, airline reps told NBC, and Chicago police responded to the runway after the flight had already left the gate.

The passengers reportedly "refused to follow crew members' instructions" after they got into a disagreement over someone trying to save seats on the flight. The passengers were removed form the flight and rebooked on a later flight, according to NBC. In a statement on the incident, Southwest said "safety is our primary focus."

Terrorism paranoia delayed a Chicago-bound flight in Baltimore earlier this week after a passenger grew concerned over a group of passengers listening to the news on their phones.