Moment airplane passengers zip-tie mad man to seat as he punches by way of window mid-flight

On Feb 7, 2025

Passengers on a flight from Denver to Houston were forced to use shoelaces and zip ties to restrain a violent man who punched out a window and lashed out at other travellers

11:16, 07 Feb 2025

Passengers aboard a Frontier flight had to restrain an unruly patron after he punched out a window on the je

Passengers on Flight 4856 from Denver to Houston pinned a man down after the violent outburst (Image: ABC News)

Harrowing footage captured the moment a bloke was pinned down by passengers on a plane after he punched through a window. Mid-air on the Denver to Houston service on Tuesday night, quick-thinking passengers used makeshift restraints including shoelaces and zip ties to subdue him.

The man could be heard screaming at fellow travellers on the Frontier Airlines flght as they attempted to clamp him down while pictures showed the shattered window with blood stains

Tanner Phillips, a former US Army soldier, was pivotal in restraining the man, declaring that he needed “a couple of guys” to properly secure him down, reports the Mirror.

It is believed the man became aggitated after a woman ignored his advances (Image: Eric Starcevik)

Phillips told ABC13: “He was very physical. I picked him up and put him on the ground. It took a couple of guys to get his arms behind him and secured.

“There’s like lots of women and kids on the flight. Obviously, so I just wanted to help as much as I could. We put hands on him and were able to secure him.

“Someone had zip ties, and someone else took their bootlace off and helped us out.”

It took multiple people to pin him down

Jessica Brown, a fellow passenger, told FOX: “It was absolutely chaotic. The most terrifying thing I’ve ever been through. We turned around, and we saw this guy just punching out the window, and immediately we screamed for help. I

” just thought we are not having another 9/11. I was just so thankful that my husband and the other men jumped in immediately, so he didn’t break the second panel of the window.”

Quick thinking passengers used whatever they could find to tie him down

The Houston Police Department was summoned and the flight safely landed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The police reported that the belligerent passenger had been attempting to speak with a woman seated in front of him, who ignored his advances.

This reportedly triggered him to lash out at the seat and the plane window. Frontier Airlines chose not to press charges against him.

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