A woman removed her clothes and caused a disturbance aboard the Phoenix-bound flight before police took her for a medical evaluation.
HOUSTON, TX — A Southwest Airlines flight bound for Phoenix returned to the gate at William P. Hobby Airport after a woman removed her clothes and caused a disturbance aboard the aircraft, prompting a police response and delaying the flight.
The disruption happened March 3, 2025, aboard Southwest Flight 733 as the aircraft was preparing to leave Houston for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crew reported a passenger disturbance at Hobby Airport that afternoon and that the agency would investigate. Southwest said local law enforcement met the aircraft after it returned to the gate.
Houston police said officers received a call reporting that a passenger had taken off her clothes and was causing a disturbance. The woman was removed from the aircraft and transported for a medical evaluation. Police said no charges were filed and did not release her name.
Video recorded aboard the flight showed the woman moving through the cabin without clothing while passengers remained in their seats. Passenger accounts reported by local and national news organizations said the woman had initially indicated that she wanted to leave the aircraft before the situation escalated. Some witnesses described her yelling and moving through the aisle as the plane remained on the ground.
Southwest described the disruption as a “customer situation onboard.” The airline said law enforcement met Flight 733 after the plane returned to the gate and that its employees contacted affected customers to apologize for the delay. The airline thanked passengers for their patience as crews worked to continue the trip to Phoenix.
The incident delayed the flight by more than an hour. Flight-tracking information reported at the time showed the aircraft, which had been scheduled to depart in the afternoon, eventually left Houston and continued to Phoenix after the passenger was removed.
Some passengers later described the episode as frightening and unexpected. Video and witness accounts documented the disruption, but authorities did not publicly identify the passenger. One passenger reported hearing the woman make a statement about having bipolar disorder. That account does not independently establish a medical diagnosis, and authorities did not publicly disclose details of her medical condition.
The FAA separately confirmed that the crew had reported a passenger disturbance and said the agency would investigate. The agency’s statement did not identify the passenger or provide a finding about what caused the incident. Houston police handled the immediate response after the aircraft returned to the gate.
The episode has received renewed attention as footage from the flight has circulated online again. The underlying incident, however, occurred in March 2025. Contemporary reports said the woman was taken for medical evaluation and was not charged, while Flight 733 resumed its trip to Phoenix after the delay.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 5, 2026.