NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Two “unruly” passengers were arrested Tuesday at Nashville International Airport after police said they refused to wear masks onboard their flights.
A warrant states airport police responded around 5:30 a.m. to gate C10, where a man, identified as 33-year-old Artur Grigoryan, would not wear his mask while on an American Airlines flight. The flight was delayed as he was removed from the plane.
Officers said they also received a call the night prior about Grigoryan, who had refused to wear a face covering onboard a Spirit Airlines flight and called the crew “vulgar names.” He was denied any future flights with Spirit Airlines, as a result.
Police said Grigoryan was also caught stealing sandwiches and a soda from the Green Beans Coffee Shop at the airport, while waiting to board the American Airlines flight. The owner of the shop chose not to prosecute Grigoryan for the theft.
Grigoryan was arrested and booked into the Metro jail on a charge of disorderly conduct.
In a separate incident later that same morning, a warrant states airport police responded to a report from Southwest Airlines about a passenger onboard one of their flights to Washington D.C. refusing to wear a mask. The pilot had turned the plane around, as a result.
The passenger, identified by police as 24-year-old James Swafford, was removed from the plane. He became aggressive toward officers and used profanity in front of other passengers, causing a disturbance, according to investigators.
Swafford was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct.
Bond for both men was set at $1,000.