American Airlines flight 2763 from Phoenix to Boston was forced to land in Kansas City after a passenger refused to stop doing pullups on an overhead compartment.
According to an article on The Independent, the unnamed fitness enthusiast had boarded the plane in Phoenix with a woman and two dogs, appearing to be intoxicated. He continued ordering drinks throughout the flight.
The incident began when the man was standing during the flight and leaning on the overhead compartment, causing another passenger to teasingly ask if he was trying to do pullups. This is when things took a turn.
Sources told CBS Boston the man seemingly interpreted this comment as a challenge and began doing pullups off the overhead compartment. When flight attendants asked him to stop, he refused, eventually becoming “verbally abusive,” according to one eye witness. The pilots then decided to land the plane in Kansas City, where security escorted him off the aircraft.
The flight continued on, reaching its final destination at Logan Airport around 1:00 a.m. As of the last reports, the man hasn’t been charged with any sort of fitness-related crime.
We all know how frustrating it is having to sit still during long flights when you want to be active, but let this be a lesson to everyone: planes are not the time and place for pullups—even if you are seemingly challenged by another passenger. But if you decide to bang out some pullups while grounded, may we suggest this workout.
