Artist Leanna Perry Arrested After Drunken Hair-Grabbing Meltdown on LaGuardia Flight
Leanna Perry, 32, is an artist and illustrator based in Brooklyn, originally from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She has worked with brands like Maybelline, MAC, Adidas, and SHEIN, and is involved in New York’s art and fashion scene.
On June 17, around 1 a.m., Perry boarded a Southwest Airlines flight at LaGuardia bound for Kansas City. Video footage—circulated on Reddit and TikTok—shows her grabbing another passenger’s hair, hurling profanity-laced insults (“fat a** b****,” “Your boyfriend’s d‑k is two inches”), spitting, and kicking others attempting to restrain her.
Crew members and fellow travelers intervened—some using zip-tie restraints—before Port Authority Police boarded the plane. Perry, claiming she “can’t breathe,” fell dramatically into the aisle, then was removed on a gurney, taken to a hospital, and ultimately transferred to NYC Department of Corrections, charged with aggravated assault.
Port Authority Police confirmed they responded to a report of an intoxicated passenger at Terminal B, LaGuardia.
Southwest Airlines stated Perry was removed, denied boarding, and commended crew for handling the disruption professionally.
This case echoes a recent pattern of disruptive air travel due to intoxicated passengers, raising renewed concerns about onboard alcohol policies and passenger safety.
The unsettling video shows Perry maintaining her grip on the woman’s hair, then physically flailing—capturing the chaos that unfolded.
Leanna Perry’s overnight meltdown on a Southwest flight underscores mounting concerns over alcohol-related incidents on planes. While crew and authorities acted swiftly, this incident adds to the debate on inflight safety and airline policies. With legal proceedings now underway, both aviation officials and civic watchdogs are likely to examine whether stronger regulations are needed—or if airlines should rethink onboard alcohol service.
