A flight between Miami and Atlanta in the United States was urgently delayed on April 27th for a very specific reason: a passenger refused to hang up her phone as the plane was about to take off. All passengers were disembarked.

A bizarre story. Shannon M., a 39-year-old woman, boarded a flight from Miami to Atlanta, Georgia, on April 27th and became the most hated passenger on the plane, People reports.

For unclear reasons, the American woman refused to hang up her phone as the Delta Airlines plane was preparing for takeoff and the cabin crew specifically asked her to turn off all electronic devices, as is standard procedure to avoid any risk of interference with the aircraft's navigation systems.

a long tug-of-war

A lengthy standoff ensued with the staff, who initially called on the pilot, but to no avail. Not even the intervention of several rather agitated passengers, who tried to reason with the American woman, would resolve the situation.

“There are hundreds of other passengers here. They have flights to catch, they’re going to see their families, they have children…” argued one traveler. “Please show some consideration!” added another. It was all in vain. Faced with the situation, the pilot abandoned the takeoff and turned back towards the gate.

Finally, all the passengers were disembarked. They were then able to reboard the plane, which finally took off an hour late. Shannon M. was detained by law enforcement and then released on $500 bail (approximately €430).

She was subsequently prosecuted for violating aviation laws and is now awaiting trial. She faces a possible prison sentence.