Several passengers were removed from a Southwest Airlines flight leaving Chicago Wednesday morning after the passengers allegedly “refused to follow crew members’ instructions.”
The passengers were removed from Southwest Flight 126 from Chicago to Houston at Midway Airport, the airline said.
Chicago police said at least five passengers were removed from the flight after a disturbance over seating arrangements.
Southwest Airlines said the flight was delayed about an hour as a result of the incident.
“Safety is our primary focus, and our employees are trained to make decisions to ensure that safety, and to safeguard the security of our crews and customers on every flight,” the airline said in a statement.
Chicago police responded to the scene after the plane had departed the runway, but were told by airline personnel that someone on the flight had tried to save seats for friends, causing complaints from some passengers.
The airline said the passengers “refused to follow crew members’ instructions” and were rebooked for a later flight Wednesday.
