A social media personality has found himself at the centre of controversy after an incident on an American Airlines flight where he was found vaping in the aircraft's toilet.
Peter Nguyen, who claimed to have 25,000 followers online, recorded his confrontation with cabin crew members after being caught vaping during the journey.
The incident occurred on flight 2860 travelling from Phoenix to San Francisco, where a female flight attendant confronted Nguyen about his behaviour.
She described his actions as hazardous, dismissing his repeated apologies with the response: "It's a hazard. I don't care, you can keep saying you're sorry."
The situation intensified when the attendant attempted to prevent Nguyen from filming, making contact with his shoulder whilst reaching for his mobile phone.
This prompted an immediate reaction from the passenger, who demanded: "Did you put your hands on me?"
Nguyen repeatedly questioned multiple staff members about the physical contact, declaring: "I have a lawyer."
He leveraged his social media presence during the confrontation, informing the crew about his substantial online following.
Peter Nguyen claimed the airline worker assaulted him
The man issued an ultimatum to the flight attendant, saying: "Do you want me to release this or you want to say sorry to me right now. Say sorry, Do not touch me. You do not get to touch a passenger. I'm actually going to call the police when I get back to the ground on you."
The Instagram video, which has garnered more than 52,000 views and nearly 700 comments, triggered widespread criticism of Nguyen's behaviour.
Viewers overwhelmingly backed the cabin crew's actions rather than sympathising with the man's claims.
One commenter wrote: "What a sorry attempt to portray yourself as a victim. Stop vaping in the airplane, case closed."
The stewardess touched the passenger on the shoulder
Another stated simply: "You're completely in the wrong."
A particularly harsh response suggested: "One way ticket to the no fly list."
Despite the negative feedback, Nguyen maintained his position in response to critics, insisting he had been subjected to assault.
His attempts to defend himself online failed to shift public opinion in his favour.
The airline has acknowledged the incident and taken decisive action against the disruptive passenger.
American Airlines released an official statement confirming their awareness of the situation and the measures taken upon arrival.
The carrier revealed that Nguyen was removed from the aircraft when it reached San Francisco International Airport.
Their statement read: "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 behaviour."
The airline expressed gratitude to other passengers for their patience during the incident.
They added: "We thank our customers for their patience and apologise for any inconvenience."