A racist United Airlines passenger who was put on the "no-fly list" after she was caught on video hurling racist slurs at an Indian-American family on a shuttle bus at LAX is now claiming that a recent brain injury is to blame for her behavior.
The confrontation began mid-flight when 64-year-old woman Arlene Bunch allegedly harassed Pervez Taufiq's 11-year-old son, questioning his ethnicity and making derogatory remarks, KTLA reported.
Upon deplaning, tensions escalated on the shuttle bus at LAX when Bunch told Taufiq's 4-year-old son to "shut up." Taufiq confronted her, leading to a heated exchange filled with racist insults, captured on video.
The video, captured during the Thanksgiving holiday week, shows Bunch insulting the family with terms like "tandoori stinky" and claiming Indian people "have no rules" and "are gross, man."
United Airlines staff intervened, removing Bunch from the bus, with the airline later stating she would be placed on a "no-fly list."
Bunch has since blamed her behavior on a brain injury sustained earlier in the year but has shown no remorse for her comments.
"[They] were aggressive when we loaded the shuttle," Bunch said. "None of that is in the video. Most people know me as a very kind, calm person, but since the brain injury, I can get agitated very easily."
Taufiq and his family have voiced concerns over United Airlines' lack of follow-up. They are considering reporting the incident to federal authorities.
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