
Content warning: Contains violence and aggressive behaviour.
A moment of chaos erupted at Orlando International Airport as a woman’s frustration boiled over in full view of stunned travellers.
Eyewitnesses say the passenger’s meltdown left a gate agent and a computer in her wake.
The bizarre scene was captured on video, leaving bystanders in disbelief.
The incident unfolded on 14 August when the unidentified woman, frustrated at missing three flights on standby, approached the Southwest Airlines gate.
Eyewitness Peyton Turbeville said the woman, spotting a gate agent in a pink shirt, shouted a string of expletives, calling him a 'mother f*****'.
'Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me? I need to go.’
She screamed this before kicking the man while he urged colleagues to 'back away'.
Passengers in the departure lounge gasped as the gate agent took the blow, with Turbeville commenting: 'That's assault'.
The woman’s anger then turned to a computer at the gate, which she punched and later sent crashing to the floor.
She continued shouting incoherently about her failed attempts to board multiple flights, repeating: 'Two flights, two flights, three planes after 45 minutes' and barking 'Huh?' after each demand.
Image source: Youtube/DailyMail_News
Despite the gate agent trying to leave, the frenzied woman followed him, insisting that other passengers call 911.
Onlookers tried to reason with her, but she remained adamant, telling one bystander, 'I have my rights, so that's what I want - get the police'.
After returning to the gate, she punched the computer again and pursued the agent back to his desk before the clip ended.
It remains unclear if authorities arrested the woman, and Southwest Airlines and Orlando International Airport have not yet commented on the episode.
Legal consequences of airport violence in Australia
Assault charges under state criminal codes
Possible imprisonment sentences
Substantial fines and compensation orders
Lifetime bans from airline travel
Federal charges if it affects interstate commerce
The episode comes just days after bodycam footage emerged showing Southwest pilot David Allsop being escorted from a flight amid concerns he was intoxicated.
Allsop, 52, was arrested in January in Savannah, Georgia, while preparing to captain Flight 3772 to Chicago after TSA officers suspected he had consumed alcohol.
Police said Allsop admitted drinking 'a few beers' the previous night, clarifying 'like 10 hours ago at least', with an officer noting he reeked of alcohol.
When asked to quantify 'a few beers', Allsop replied he had drunk 'like, three Miller Light' with his first officer.
He failed two of three sobriety tests and refused a blood draw to determine his blood alcohol content.
Southwest Airlines confirmed Allsop had been fired, bringing an abrupt end to his aviation career.
What This Means For You
A female passenger at Orlando Airport unleashed a shocking outburst after missing multiple standby flights, attacking a gate agent and destroying a computer in full view of fellow travellers.
Eyewitnesses captured her aggressive behaviour, which included shouting expletives, physically assaulting the staff member, and repeatedly demanding police intervention as she displayed incoherent, frenzied behaviour. The episode comes shortly after another Southwest Airlines controversy, when a pilot was arrested over suspected intoxication, highlighting a string of unusual incidents in air travel.
For older travellers, this scene may hit close to home—after decades of experiencing air travel, most of us have endured long delays and stressful airports, but few have witnessed chaos escalate to this level. It’s a stark reminder of how patience can be tested, the unpredictability of human behaviour, and why staying calm in stressful situations is more important than ever.
Woman's violent meltdown at Orlando Southwest airport leads to arrest | Fox News — Reports on Selomit Velez-Rodriguez, 45, from Illinois, who was arrested for battery, criminal mischief, and resisting an officer without violence after attacking Southwest employees and damaging computer equipment.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/woman-ki...es-computer-monitors-violent-airport-meltdown
Video: Woman tries to kick Southwest employee, punches computers in viral tirade | FOX 35 Orlando — Covers Velez-Rodriguez’s outburst at Orlando airport, including kicking an employee, hitting computer monitors, and claiming she was trying to reach her brother's funeral.
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/video-woman-screams-at-attacks-orlando-airport-staff-wild-outburst
Fare Types and Benefits | Southwest Airlines — Explains Southwest’s policies on same-day standby and fare prioritisation for re-accommodated or loyalty customers.
https://www.southwest.com/airfare-types-benefits/
Southwest Low Fare Calendar | Southwest Airlines — Details Southwest’s rules for passengers who miss flights, including standby options for up to two hours after scheduled departure.
https://www.southwest.com/air/low-fare-calendar/
PNNL — Describes scientific research and reports TSA intercepting 3,269 firearms at airport security checkpoints in the first half of 2024.
https://www.pnnl.gov/main/publications/external/technical_reports/PNNL-25689.pdf
Chaos erupted in an airport where routine delays escalated into a moment of pure, unsettling human frustration—how would you have reacted if you were there?