In a statement, Christie campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella wrote that “Christie, an aide and a member of his security detail” were aboard the United flight “when a passenger was removed from the plane before takeoff at the request of United Airlines”.
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Contrary to rumors, Comella said Christie did not interact with the passenger at any point and there was no physical or verbal threat to the governor.
United spokesman Jonathan Guerin says flight 1108 was delayed because of disruptive customer.
According to Boston’s Fox News affiliate, the plane eventually took off around 4:30 pm EST, but the question remains: What sort of vitriol had been exchanged between Christie and this supposed passenger?
As the plane was on the runway, the pilot announced they were returning to the gate for “operational difficulties”.
The airline didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
Christie attended a fundraiser in Atherton, Calif. on Thursday evening and was flying back to the East Coast for a Friday evening campaign event in Hampton Falls, N.H.
He later revised that statement after speaking with a man who said he was sitting next to Christie in first class. MyFoxBoston.com reported people were removed five at a time to be searched individually.
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The remaining passengers reboarded the flight and the plane took off at 1 p.m.
