Delta Passenger Removed After Racist Tirade at JFK Airport

A Delta passenger faced removal after launching into a racist tirade before takeoff at New York City's JFK Airport. Jerome Anixter, 60 years old from Brooklyn, was taken into custody on Thursday by Port Authority police. Officers responded to Flight 2342, an Atlanta-bound jet carrying 160 people and six crew members, shortly after 1:30pm ET.

Reports indicated the man believed to be Anixter was intoxicated and creating a disturbance inside the terminal. Video footage captured him being led away by officers while making finger-gun gestures at them. He shouted obscenities during the ordeal and directed hateful comments toward other travelers on board. When he pointedly said, 'Look at these n*****s,' boos erupted from fellow passengers in the cabin.

Anixter tried to slap an officer escorting him off the aircraft and claimed they needed to get off of him. Once outside the plane, law enforcement arrested him for assault, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration. Delta Air Lines issued a statement condemning his actions and thanked police for their help. An airline representative said the carrier has zero tolerance for such behavior and apologized for the delay, which pushed departure back about 45 minutes.

Details on whether Anixter is currently held in jail remain unclear. The Queens District Attorney's office has not yet confirmed if they will proceed with the charges. Journalists reached out to both Anixter and the prosecutor's office for comment but received no reply. This event follows a similar arrest at JFK less than a week prior involving actress Selma Blair, who was charged after allegedly attacking flight crew members mid-flight on a Delta aircraft.