An investigation is underway after a brawl broke out between a passenger and a United Airlines check-in desk employee at Newark Airport on Sunday. The moment the argument turned physical was captured on video, with various edits going viral across social media.

Brawl breakdown

Posted with little context regarding the chain of events that led to the altercation, the clips depict the sudden escalation of a dispute between the employee and passenger.

In one video shared by Barstool Sports, the passenger can be seen preparing to swing at the employee, who manages to duck out of the way before slapping him. The man responds by tackling the United staff member into a check-in point.

The employee struggles to get up before reappearing with a black eye and bloodied face and heading back towards the passenger, who repeatedly asks, “you want some more?”

Bystanders could be heard calling for the men to stop fighting, with security eventually arriving to break up the pair.

Social media users are divided on which man is in the wrong, with some edits portraying slightly differing perspectives which show no clear picture of who initiated the fight.

In a statement provided to The Daily Mail, the carrier has confirmed they have launched an investigation.

“United Airlines does not tolerate violence of any kind at our airports or onboard our planes, and we are working with local authorities to further investigate this matter,” a United spokesperson told the newspaper.

United Boeing 767-300
Photo: Vincenzo Pace/Simple Flying

Good leads the way?

Yesterday’s altercation comes just a week after the launch of United’s latest advertising campaign, centered around highlighting its employees and positive customer experiences.

The carrier has come under fire on several occasions over the past few years, experiencing a wide range of negative press following several high-profile incidents.

Frequently named as one of the worst PR disasters of all time, United hit the headlines in 2017 after passenger Dr. David Dao was dragged off his flight at Chicago O’Hare International Airport for refusing to give up his seat. The carrier’s treatment of Dao drew mass criticism from social media users, newspapers, and even then-president Donald Trump. The airline later apologized, with Dao receiving an undisclosed settlement amount several weeks later.

“This will never happen again,” Chief Executive at the time, Oscar Munoz, told CNBC. “That’s my promise.”

Following Scott Kirby’s appointment as CEO in 2020, the carrier has moved to turn its reputation for poor customer experience around, emphasizing the vital work the company and its employees have been doing through the past several years, from sustainability innovations to celebrating diversity.

“We’re taking actions that inspire pride among our employees and customers,” Kirby said during the launch of ‘Good leads the way.’ “This campaign serves not only as an exclamation point on our recent actions but also as a commitment to how United Airlines intends to show up in the future.”

What are your thoughts on United’s latest incident? Let us know in the comments.

Sources: The Daily Mail, CNBC