A 54-year-old man was arrested Thursday night after punching a United Airlines gate agent at Dulles International Airport in Virginia, WUSA9 reported. In a viral clip, Maryland resident Christopher Stuart Crittenden attempts to walk onto the jet bridge as passengers depart a previous flight. When Crittenden is blocked by the gate agent, he says, “I’m done with this bulls--t,” before launching an attack. Eyewitnesses reported issues with flights being canceled and said that the flight Crittenden attempted to queue for was fully booked. Crittenden was charged with assault and disorderly conduct, and the agent was transported to a local hospital for injuries. In response to the incident, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Works Union called on the Federal Aviation Administration to take action and institute stronger protections for airline customer service representatives. “Our members deserve a workplace where they can focus on providing excellent customer service—not one where they fear being attacked by passengers,” the union said. “This latest incident is yet another example of the unacceptable rise in violence against frontline airline workers.”
