Man with Hammer Destroys Airport Computers After Realizing He Bought a Ticket From a Scammer

Travelers at Nuevo Pudahuel Airport in Santiago, Chile got to witness what wrath after being scammed of plane tickets looks like. One Haitian man didn't try to hide his feelings as he went to town with a hammer behind an American Airlines check-in counter.

One-Man Wrecking Crew

On Tuesday evening, a Haitian construction worker attempted to get cleared at the American Airlines check-in counter. He was looking to fly to Miami on a layover, where he would then return to Haiti on a shorter flight.

Personnel would refuse to honor his plane ticket as it appeared it wasn't getting recognized through AA systems.

Lieutenant Manuel Narváez explained the man's situation with Chilean media outlet Cooperativa:

"He said that he had purchased a ticket to Miami through internet platforms because he was already returning to his country of origin, Haiti, and that this flight was never booked."

When he realized he wasn't getting the flight he paid for, he rummaged through his bag to retrieve a ball-peen hammer and started to wreck the entire desk area.

Many onlookers from different angles recorded the act of vandalism, which was said to have lasted over several minutes. Using his hammer, the man had smashed holes through computer equipment and the overhead LED screens. Following his outburst, he could be seen pacing around the area before clutching a cart of his belongings.

Extended footage of the incident reveals the man also struck holes through several other screened equipment adjacent to the check-in area. Link 

An International Incident

The unnamed man was detained by airport security and then handed to local authorities, who were followed by Carabineros de Chile, the country's national law enforcement agency.

It's been said his damages around the area at the airport are valued at 20 million pesos (around USD 20,000).

The man appeared before a judge on Wednesday, declaring that the man was banned from the airport following the hostile scene on Tuesday.

An American Airlines representative acknowledged the incident, stating that police were called to deal with a "disruptive individual". The representative later went on to thank the crew for their professionalism and apologize to travelers for what had happened.

It's always best to book directly with airlines, and not having to worry about getting scammed is one of the major reasons why. While it's not known why the Haitian didn't book directly with AA is still a mystery, but if you see an unreputable website selling last-minute tickets for cheap, there's a good chance those tickets are phony.

As for the construction worker, there are always incidents where travelers are stopped from flying home, but please be sure you keep your composure and don't cause a viral moment.

Let us know your thoughts on this Santiago airport incident in the comments section below!