A violent altercation at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) on Thursday night resulted in the arrest of a passenger after he punched a United Airlines gate agent in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police responded to Gate D12 following reports of an assault. Authorities identified the suspect as Christopher Stuart Crittenden, a 54-year-old resident of Frederick, Maryland. Emergency responders transported the injured gate agent to a hospital for treatment.
Video footage of the incident, shared on the social media platform X, shows the moment the suspect threw a punch that sent the gate agent to the floor. The video quickly gained traction online, sparking discussions about airline staff safety and passenger behavior.
Crittenden now faces charges of assault and disorderly conduct. Meanwhile, United Airlines has taken action by banning him from future travel with the carrier. In a statement, United’s Media Relations team emphasized their commitment to employee safety, stating, “The passenger involved has been banned from future travel on United.”
A #Maryland man has been banned from flying with #UnitedAirlines after he punched a gate agent in the face at Gate D12 at #Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday evening, March 13, 2025.
? via @TRVLBLK#Virginia #Dulles #IAD #US #aviation #AvGeek #avgeeks #flights pic.twitter.com/PKYZjE6MkP
— FlightMode (@FlightModeblog) March 15, 2025
