- And this story tells you why.
What happens when pepper spray goes off in a plane? Well, we found out when a man accidental discharged pepper spray on a United flight to Newark.
The flight originated from Fort Myers and was still taxiing for takeoff at the time. The plane was able to return to the gate and passengers could quickly deplane.
TSA confirmed that security screeners missed screening the can of pepper spray in the passengers carry on bag as he passed through the security checkpoint. Pepper spray and mase are not allowed on the plane.
On some airlines, customers are permitted to bring personal defense sprays in their checked luggage. “Everybody started coughing, and during COVID everybody starts looking around,” commented Joseph Grande, a passenger onboard the United Airlines operated Boeing 737.
After the guy who accidentally discharged his pepper spray and fessed up to it, people realized what had happened. “One of the gentlemen in the exit row, which was like two rows in front of me to my left, was like oh, I accidentally hit this thing on my key chain,” Grande explained. At this point, the plane was already en route to the gate and customers deplaned immediately upon arrival.
According to a statement, spokesperson for United confirmed Monday’s flight from Fort Myers to Newark had been delayed due to a “disruptive incident”. “On Monday, United flight 1061 from Fort Myers, Florida to Newark, NJ returned to the gate due to a disruptive incident involving a customer prior to take off. Soon after, the flight safely departed for Newark,” a spokesperson for the airline said in an emailed statement.
Last June alone, TSA officers in nine days intercepted 12 guns in passengers luggage across the state of Florida, including Fort Myers. Between January and July, TSA recovered nearly 150 firearms from people trying to get through security checkpoints in the state of Florida.
Refresher training was provided to agents in Fort Myers to help them to find pepper spray as well as detecting firearms in luggage, according to a TSA spokesperson.