Woman strips naked on US flight, screams for 25 minutes | WATCH viral video

A Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Phoenix was forced to return to the gate after a female passenger caused a major disruption by stripping naked and screaming for nearly 25 minutes.

The bizarre incident took place on Monday afternoon aboard Flight 733, which had just started taxiing at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas. Passengers were left stunned as the woman suddenly began shouting before removing all her clothes and walking up and down the aisle.

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Passengers shocked as woman screams and undresses mid-flight

Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and distressing. "She turned toward us and stripped all of her clothes off," a passenger told KHOU-TV. "Then she started banging on the cockpit door, demanding to be let in. It was terrifying."

Another witness, who wished to remain anonymous, told 12 News that the woman’s behavior appeared to be a mental health crisis. "She was jumping up and down, screaming at the top of her lungs," they said. "It was clear she was having a breakdown."

As the situation escalated, the flight crew made the decision to return the plane to the gate. Upon arrival, Houston police officers were waiting to escort the woman off the aircraft. A flight attendant initially covered her with a blanket, but witnesses said she removed it before being taken into custody.

No charges filed, woman taken for psychiatric evaluation

Authorities later confirmed that the woman was transported to the NeuroPsychiatric Centre at Harris Health Ben Taub Hospital for a medical assessment. Officials also stated that no charges were being filed against her due to the nature of her actions.

The unexpected incident caused a delay of nearly 90 minutes before the flight finally took off for Phoenix. Southwest Airlines later issued a statement acknowledging the disruption.

"Local law enforcement met Flight 733 upon its return to the gate due to a customer situation onboard," the airline said. "Our teams have reached out to customers onboard the flight to apologize for the delay to their travels."

Reports suggest that the airline offered affected passengers a $50 travel voucher as compensation for the inconvenience.

Similar incidents raise concerns over in-flight security

This is not the first time an airline has had to handle such an unusual mid-air disturbance. In a separate case, a Virgin Australia flight from Perth to Melbourne was forced to return to the airport after a male passenger ran naked through the cabin before being taken into custody.

The Southwest Airlines incident has sparked discussions about how airlines handle mid-flight crises, particularly those involving mental health emergencies. While passengers were relieved that the situation was managed without escalation, some expressed concerns over the lack of consequences for such disruptive behavior.

One passenger remarked, "It’s surprising that she won’t face any charges, considering there were kids on board."

As airlines continue to face a rise in disruptive passenger behavior, incidents like these highlight the ongoing challenges of maintaining in-flight safety while addressing mental health concerns.

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