Plane Delayed for Hours After Shocking Fight Between Flight Attendants

What was supposed to be a routine United Airlines flight from Des Moines to Chicago turned into chaos Monday, after two flight attendants reportedly got into a fight before takeoff.

The incident forced a four-hour delay, leaving passengers frustrated and stuck at the gate. According to reports, details about what sparked the fight remain unclear, but internal messages from United confirmed the conflict had occurred. One message reportedly stated: “Disagreement on 2 of the FAs [Flight Attendants]. IFDM [Inflight Duty Manager] pulling all crew and will need to recrew flight.”

Because the entire crew had to be replaced, the plane, originally scheduled to depart at 11:26 a.m., didn’t leave until 3:24 p.m. The flight eventually landed at Chicago O’Hare at 5:09 p.m., over four hours behind schedule.

Conflicts among flight crew members are rare, but not unheard of. In July 2022, a dispute between Alaska Airlines pilots caused delays, and in 2023, two SkyWest flight attendants refused to work together, leaving passengers caught in an ordeal that even made waves on TikTok.

While passenger-attendant conflicts occasionally make headlines, it’s far less common to see crew members themselves clash to the point of grounding a flight. Monday’s incident serves as a dramatic reminder of the high-pressure environment flight attendants navigate every day.