An enraged traveller was caught on camera destroying an American Airlines counter in Chile with a hammer after realizing that a scammer had apparently sold him a fake plane ticket.
The Haitian man became enraged at Santiago’s Nuevo Pudahuel Airport late Monday, August 26, after trying to check in for his American Airlines flight to Miami, Florida, local outlet Cooperativa reported.
Footage shot by bystanders showed the construction worker, who was set to stop over in Miami en route to Haiti, suddenly rifling through his work bag after an airline employee informed him he wouldn’t be able to board the flight.
He was filmed screaming as he climbed behind the counter and started hitting multiple mounted TV screens with the hammer.
The man then smashed several computer screens on the check-in counter, the clip shows.
The traveller caused roughly $20,000 in damages, authorities said.
He was eventually detained by airport security and turned over to cops.
An American Airlines spokesperson confirmed the ordeal, saying local authorities were called to deal with a “disruptive individual” in the airport lobby area.
“We thank our team for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Watch the video below.
A Haitian man who discovered he had been sold a fake airline ticket to Miami destroyed an American Airlines check-in counter at Santiago International Airport in Chile
He was placed under arrest by authorities and scheduled to appear before a judge🚨
pic.twitter.com/Z3XIKDDEl9
— Carra De Shaukeen (@Carradeshaukeen) August 29, 2024