Chaos at Fort Lauderdale airport as angry passengers clash with cops: Three are charged with inciting a riot and customers are thrown to the floor as ELEVEN canceled flights lead to ugly scenes

  • Several people detained at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, FL
  • Outraged by 11 cancellations, passengers started yelling and beating counters
  • Security staff stepped in to resolve the issue, but a number of fights broke out
  • Aftermath was caught on camera as women appeared to attack security officers
  • Three people were arrested and charged with inciting a riot in the terminal 
  • Flight disruption was caused by a union dispute between Spirit and pilots
  • Spirit have filed a lawsuit against the pilots accusing them of 'unlawful action'
  • A judge has now ordered the unionized pilots to stop boycotting flights as part of their labor action  

Furious passengers lashed out at police, were thrown to the floor and arrested during chaotic scenes at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.

Several people were detained during ugly confrontations with law enforcement when 11 Spirit Airlines flights were canceled and 26 were delayed at the Florida hub on Monday night because pilots refused to fly during a union dispute.

The group of passengers who clashed with cops were angry because the last-minute disruptions meant they would miss a graduation ceremony.

A mob of irate customers began beating the counters and screaming at staff, prompting airline employees to call the police.

Shocking footage shows people shouting as they are dragged from the terminal building. Women were also captured attacking officers, only to be thrown on the floor of the departure building. Some passengers applauded as the women were escorted out. 

On Tuesday, The Broward Sheriff's Office said three New York residents were arrested and charged with inciting a riot.

A federal judge also sided with Spirit and ordered the unionized pilots to stop boycotting flights as part of their labor action. 

Officers struggle to deal with an angry group of passengers at the airport in Florida on Monday

Officers struggle to deal with an angry group of passengers at the airport in Florida on Monday

Woman in a pink and orange dress is handcuffed having been thrown on the floor in the airport

Woman in a pink and orange dress is handcuffed having been thrown on the floor in the airport

Three officers have a passenger face-down on the floor inside a departure terminal in Florida

Three officers have a passenger face-down on the floor inside a departure terminal in Florida

The terminal building descended into chaos as a group of passengers learned they would not be able to attend a graduation ceremony 

The terminal building descended into chaos as a group of passengers learned they would not be able to attend a graduation ceremony 

Desmond Waul
Janice Waul
Davante Garrett

Left to right: Desmond Waul, 24, Janice Waul, 22, and Davante Garrett, 22, were all charged with inciting a riot after the clashes 

District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas issued the order Tuesday, saying Spirit likely would win its lawsuit charging that the Airline Pilots Association was engaged in work slowdowns that violated federal law. 

The union has denied the accusation. 

Sheriff's reports released Tuesday say about 500 people were in the Spirit terminal late Monday night when 22-year-old Desmond Waul of Selden and 24-year-old Janice Waul and 22 year-old Davante Garrett, both of Brentwood, were seen by deputies threatening the airline's front counter employees.

Deputies say their actions caused the crowd to become increasingly aggressive to the point of near violence and that they wouldn't leave when ordered.

The three are charged with inciting a riot, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and trespassing. They were being held Tuesday at the Broward jail in lieu of $10,000 bond each. Records do not show if they have attorneys. 

The ugly skirmishes broke out inside the departure building as passengers waited to board flights.

A woman in a pink dress appeared to be hurled to the floor as she and the officer tumbled over the ropes used to control lines in the airport.

Another passenger can be seen face-down with three officers attempting to make an arrest.

Video footage captured men and women, understood to have been making their way to a graduation ceremony which they subsequently, being led away by officers having confronted Broward Sheriff's Office.

As the culprits were frogmarched out of the airport, many of their fellow passengers could be heard cheering and clapping, while one even gave a rendition of Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline. 

The disrupted flights are said to be over ongoing negotiations between Spirit Airlines and the Airline Pilots Association.

Spirit Airlines issued a statement saying they filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) for 'unlawful job action by Spirit pilots.'

A female officer tries to hold back a woman who has lost a sandal in a skirmish in the airport

A female officer tries to hold back a woman who has lost a sandal in a skirmish in the airport

The woman screamed at officers as she was dragged from the terminal building by two officers

The woman screamed at officers as she was dragged from the terminal building by two officers

Airline spokesman Paul Berry said in a statement: 'We are shocked and saddened to see the videos of what took place at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport this evening.

 'This is a result of unlawful labor activity by some Spirit pilots designed to disrupt Spirit operations for our customers, by canceling multiple flights across our network. 

'These pilots have put their quest for a new contract ahead of getting customers to their destinations and the safety of their fellow Spirit Team Members. 

'It is for this reason, Spirit has filed suit in Federal Court to protect our customers’ future travel.'

Staff at the airline are now working with passengers to try and get them on rebooked flights.  

The pilots association responded with a statement, saying: 'The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l and the Spirit pilot group it represents are not engaged in a job action.  

She was led through the doors to a group of waiting police cars outside. Three people were arrested in the clashes 

She was led through the doors to a group of waiting police cars outside. Three people were arrested in the clashes 

Security officers attempt to hold the crowds back from the check-in desks at the airport

Security officers attempt to hold the crowds back from the check-in desks at the airport

'Rather, ALPA and the Spirit pilots are continuing to do everything possible to help restore the company’s operations, which have experienced significant problems over the past several days. 

'While we will continue these efforts, we will actively defend the association, its officers and its member pilots against the unwarranted and counterproductive legal action brought this evening by Spirit Airlines.'

Paul Smith described how the tension escalated inside the departure building to WSVN.

 'All of a sudden, one particular flight got canceled, and a mob ensued up here at the front counter, in front of everyone else who had been waiting in line.

'They were telling me I can't get out of here until Wednesday afternoon.'  

Some of the passengers who were waiting for other flights applauded as the women were dragged from the terminal hall 

Some of the passengers who were waiting for other flights applauded as the women were dragged from the terminal hall 

One of the airline customers turned around to face one of the officers as she was escorted from the departure building

One of the airline customers turned around to face one of the officers as she was escorted from the departure building

Tamari Cameron checks his phone for flight information as his friend Latreece Smith rests on his lap on Tuesday, hours after the chaos 

Tamari Cameron checks his phone for flight information as his friend Latreece Smith rests on his lap on Tuesday, hours after the chaos 

Security was on hand near the lines for Spirit Airlines in the midst of the showdown with pilots

Security was on hand near the lines for Spirit Airlines in the midst of the showdown with pilots

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