An American Airlines passenger on a flight from Phoenix to San Francisco sparked controversy after allegedly vaping in the plane’s bathroom mid-flight, then filming his heated confrontation with a flight attendant who caught him.
The incident, which happened on August 4, ended with the passenger being met by police upon landing in San Francisco.
According to U.S. law, smoking or vaping on a commercial flight is a federal offense.
The American Airlines passenger claimed he “only took one puff” in the plane’s bathroom
Image credits: American Airlines
Peter Nguyen told Storyful that he had “only taken one puff” of his vape while in the airplane lavatory before a flight attendant suddenly opened the door.
Nguyen, who was on American Airlines Flight 2860, said he immediately apologized and explained he was just using the bathroom. Nevertheless, he still started recording the incident.
In the video, Nguyen can be heard saying he was “sitting on the toilet” when the attendant came in. The flight attendant appeared unfazed, explaining the dangers of vaping on a plane.
Image credits: Unsplash / Gerrie van der Walt
“You can keep saying you’re sorry,” the attendant stated, “but I care about all these passengers.”
Tensions rose when the attendant seemed to reach for Nguyen’s phone. The footage does not show any physical contact, but Nguyen quickly became visibly upset.
“You do not put your hands on me,” he stated multiple times. “You assaulted me.”
Image credits: Unsplash / Kristaps Solims
Another attendant could be heard in the video stating that Nguyen was never touched. Still, the passenger claimed that he was a lawyer.
“She tried to grab my phone. She put her hands on me. I have a lawyer. I am a lawyer,” an increasingly upset Nguyen said.
He accused the flight attendant of assault mid-flight
Image credits: Unsplash / Pablo Merchán Montes
In the latter parts of his video, Nguyen also demanded that the attendant apologize to him.
“I have 25,000 followers. I have 25,000 followers who are gonna watch this. Do you want me to release this, or do you want to say sorry to me right now?” he asked.
At one point, he threatened to involve law enforcement once the plane lands. “I’m calling the police on you,” he stated.
Image credits: Instagram / kobe.pickeball
“You assaulted me,” Nguyen said repeatedly, adding that the attendant was “in so much trouble.”
After the aircraft touched down in San Francisco, officers were waiting. It was unclear if Nguyen faced any punishment for the incident, according to KTVU News.
American Airlines confirmed that Nguyen was removed from the plane due to his behavior.
Image credits: Instagram / kobe.pickeball
“A customer on American Airlines flight 2860 with service from Phoenix (PHX) to San Francisco (SFO) was removed from the aircraft upon arrival at SFO due to disruptive behavior.
“We thank our customers for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience,” an American Airlines spokesperson said.
In a recent Instagram post, Nguyen stated that he was seeking a “formal demand for accountability” from American Airlines.
Image credits: Instagram / kobe.pickeball
“I’ve lost major clients, am undergoing therapy, and am now speaking out to make sure no passenger has to go through this again.
“I have issued a formal demand for accountability and am giving the airline 7 days to respond. I’m also making my story available to the media,” he wrote.
The rules are clear about vaping mid-flight
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Wow this guy sucks.
Peter Nguyen was seen accosting a female flight attendant,… pic.twitter.com/je1gnshjfZ
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 6, 2025
Smoking or vaping on flights is a federal offense. As per the Federal Aviation (FAA) on its official website:
“Electronic smoking devices, like vapes and e-cigarettes, contain lithium batteries and are considered dangerous goods due to their risk of smoke, fire and extreme heat.
Image credits: Instagram / kobe.pickeball
“As such, they are restricted on how they can be packed when preparing for travel on an aircraft. These devices were the leading cause of lithium battery incidents on aircraft in 2022.”
“Passengers should keep the devices in the cabin, not in checked luggage. These devices must never be used or charged in the aircraft.”
Social Media Users slammed Nguyen due to his entitled behavior
Image credits: Facebook / Peter Kobe Nguyen
Numerous netizens have stated that Nguyen should be punished for his behavior on his American Airlines flight, with many pointing out that vaping in the air is a serious offense.
“‘It’s unclear if he faced any punishment.’ Seriously? It’s a federal offense to smoke & vape on a commercial aircraft. He better face punishment!” one commenter wrote.
Ver essa foto no Instagram
“I’ve been a smoker for over 30 years and have gone hours and hours between flights and layovers and survived. This is entitlement at its finest,” wrote another.
“He said only one hit to his vape, which was one hit too many. Rules are in place for a reason, and it’s for the safety of everyone aboard that aircraft, not just him,” another stated.
Image credits: Facebook / Peter Kobe Nguyen
Others joked about the idea of Nguyen ending up on a no-fly list due to his behavior.
“You won’t worry about catching that next flight when you’re on that no-flight list,” one commenter on Instagram wrote.
“Excited for the no-fly list, sweet pea?” wrote another.
Image credits: Instagram / kobe.pickeball
“You should be on a no-fly list,” another commenter wrote.
Netizens had a stern response to Nguyen’s behavior in his video
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