United flight attendant refused to assist a disabled passenger, then calls security

An elderly woman with a disability found herself at the center of a disturbing incident while flying first class with United Airlines.

UNITED BOEING 777-222 N784UA (MSN 26951)

Seated in a bulkhead row with no under-seat storage, she politely asked a flight attendant for help placing her small bag and a folded walking cane into the overhead bin. According to witnesses sitting nearby, the flight attendant reacted with unexpected hostility, loudly refusing the request by citing union rules and raising concerns about potential injury. The woman remained calm, explaining that she frequently flies with United and has never encountered this issue before.

Eventually, another passenger stepped in to assist, placing the items in the bin without hesitation. The flight attendant, obviously frustrated by this, forcefully slammed shut the overhead compartment and returned to her seat visibly upset.

Moments later, the aircraft began to taxi out before stopping briefly, after which the pilot announced a return to the gate due to an onboard "incident."

Security boarded and informed the elderly woman that the flight attendant claimed she felt threatened by her tone.

Passengers were reportedly shocked and disgusted by the accusation, having witnessed the interaction themselves and describing the flight attendant's behavior as overly aggressive and pure lack of customer service. After security found no issue with the disabled passenger, the flight resumed. The flight attendant then gave the safety briefing in a tone that some described as unsettling and overly theatrical.

Many onboard were left shaken by the treatment of the woman, questioning the handling of the situation and the lack of basic compassion.

Passengers requested the cabin supervisor replaced the air hostess, but their plea was ignored, as it was explained that no one else on the aircraft had first-class training.