iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Surveillance footage shows the tense moments leading up to an altercation last week between a pilot and a passenger in a Missouri airport.
The video shows two men entering the Kansas City International Airport through an American Airlines gate on April 12. One man is wearing a pilot’s uniform and the other is wearing a blue shirt, later identified by authorities as a passenger named Edward Foster.
Foster appears to follow the pilot through the airport, arguing with him.
Foster told authorities the altercation began when the pilot, who was traveling as a passenger on the same flight, was “taking up to much room on the aircraft and being disrespectful,” according to an incident report filed by the Kansas City International Airport Police Department.
This caused Foster to follow the pilot “outside the secure area” in an attempt to take a photo of his badge with his cellphone, the incident report stated.
The video shows Foster’s cellphone being knocked out of his hand as the pilot tries to block his badge. That’s when Foster grabs the pilot by the shoulders and pushes him away, causing the pilot to trip over his own luggage.
After the physical altercation, the pilot tried to leave the concourse to meet his wife waiting outside in a car. Foster followed him, talking to the pilot and trying to take a photo of the license plate, before airport police intervened, according to the incident report.
Police said the incident was captured on video from the security cameras in the airport and the footage was saved for further review.
Although the pilot walked away from the altercation, he “suffered lacerations to both legs and bruising to his forearm,” according to the incident report. The pilot’s name was not included in the report.
Foster, 49, has been charged with “intentionally inflicting injury” upon the pilot. His court date is set for May 16, according to court documents. Foster could face a fine or up to 180 days in jail.
It’s the latest incident of the unfriendly skies. Last week, a video that quickly went viral captured the moment when a bloodied passenger was yanked from his seat on a United Airlines flight and dragged down the aisle.
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