Southwest Airlines employee hospitalized after being assaulted by a passenger on a flight from Dallas, airline says

• A Southwest Airlines employee was hospitalized in Dallas after a passenger assault.
• A 32-year-old woman was charged with aggravated assault, Fox Business reported.

A Southwest Airlines crew member has been hospitalized in Dallas, Texas, after a passenger assault, according to the airline.

A passenger on a flight from Texas to New York punched a Ground Operations Agent after arguing with another crew member, a Southwest spokesperson told Insider via email. The assault happened during the boarding process for flight No. 4976 on Saturday.

"We can confirm reports of a female passenger verbally and physically assaulting one of our female Operations Agents," the spokesperson said. "The passenger was taken into custody by local law enforcement officers, and our Employee was transported to a local hospital. We do not have an update on her condition, but we have a Station Manager with her at the hospital with the full support of her Southwest Family sending our thoughts, prayers, and love."

NBC News previously reported the assault. Fox Business identified the passenger as a 32-year-old woman, saying she was charged with aggravated assault.

After a verbal fight near the rear of the plane, the passenger "went to the front of the plane where she had another verbal altercation with another" Southwest employee, Fox reported, citing a police report. The passenger then started "hitting her with a closed fist to the head," the report said.

"Southwest Airlines maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding any type of harassment or assault and fully support our Employee as we cooperate with local authorities regarding this unacceptable incident," the Southwest spokesperson told Insider.

In August, The Federal Aviation Administration said it had logged 3,715 incidents of unruly passengers in the first seven months of 2021. It started investigations into about 600 incidents, roughly double what it investigated in each of the prior two years.