Shannon Marie Harris Removed After Disruptive Passenger Phone Call Delta Incident

Shannon Marie Harris was removed from a disruptive passenger phone call delta flight after refusing multiple requests to end a phone call while the plane was taxiing from Miami to Atlanta. Delta said the delay pushed the flight back about an hour.

Police identified Harris as a Georgia woman from Tyrone. The airline said the incident began while flight attendants were giving safety instructions and continued after crew members asked her to hang up.

Miami to Atlanta

A police report said Harris was asked to end the call during the taxi, but she did not comply. An arresting officer said she became belligerent, and the captain decided to return the plane to the gate.

Once the aircraft was back at the gate, a Delta supervisor asked Harris to get off the plane. Police said she refused, and officers were called after she would not leave.

Delta Gate Response

Delta representative then decided to have every passenger deplane because Harris would not leave when asked. Officers said she tried to get off the plane with the rest of the passengers and was arrested.

Arrest records show Harris has since been charged with trespassing-related charges. Delta said, "The safety of our customers and crew comes before all else, and Delta has zero tolerance for disruptive behavior. We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels."

For passengers on the flight, the practical effect was immediate: everyone had to leave the aircraft, and the departure came about an hour late. The case turned on a simple refusal during boarding procedures, then escalated to a gate return, a full deplaning, and an arrest before the flight could leave.