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American Airlines flight diverted after passenger fight over racial slur

A fight on a flight caused fright in the sky.


An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Los Angeles was diverted to Phoenix after an in-flight passenger altercation, the company confirmed.


Two passengers got into a fight with another passenger who asked them to stop using a racial slur, Phoenix police told Yahoo. The Feb. 24 flight eventually continued to LAX.


"Upon arrival, the flight was met by local law enforcement who removed and arrested two individuals for verbally and physically assaulting other customers and flight crew members," an American Airlines statement read. "Their behavior was disturbing and unacceptable."


Phoenix Police Department arrested Kelly Pichardo, 30, and Leeza Rodriguez, 29, both from the Bronx, New York, multiple outlets reported.


Both women were placed on an American Airlines' internal refuse list pending further investigation.


American said it is working directly with impacted customers to ensure their well-being following the incident. "We thank our crewmembers for their professionalism in managing a difficult situation," the company said.


This article originally appeared on USA Today

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