Chris Christie’s Flight Delayed for Hours by ‘Disruptive’ Passenger

GOP candidate Chris Christie on a flight where a passenger was removed.

ByABC News
November 20, 2015, 6:58 PM
Chris Christie speaks during Republican presidential debate at Milwaukee Theatre, Nov. 10, 2015, in Milwaukee.
Chris Christie speaks during Republican presidential debate at Milwaukee Theatre, Nov. 10, 2015, in Milwaukee.
Morry Gash/AP Photo

— -- Republican presidential candidate Gov. Chris Christie was traveling on a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Boston this morning when another passenger was removed from the flight, causing at least a four hour delay.

“United Airlines is working to accommodate customers of flight 1108 to Boston after the flight was delayed in San Francisco due to a disruptive customer on board,” a spokesperson for the airline said in a statement.

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Two sources tell ABC News the person in question refused to obey crew instructions as the plane was taxiing. The passenger was taking pictures, not seated and not obeying crew instructions so a decision was made to return to the gate.

In a statement, Christie campaign spokeswoman Maria Comella said Christie was with an aide and a member of his security detail at the time.

"At no point did Governor Christie interact with this passenger nor did this passenger pose a verbal or physical threat to the Governor,” the statement said.

The Christie campaign wouldn’t answer any further questions and instead said all inquiries should be directed to United.

One of the passengers on board, David Berlind, told ABC News that the passengers were told over the PA system that the plane had to return to the gate.

Berlind added that “passengers sat on the plane for a while when people came on board and checked bathrooms and overhead bins.”

Christie had been in California fundraising.

ABC News' Erin Dooley and Matt Hosford contributed to this report.