Crystina, who is a reporter for ESPN, was flying from LA to Chicago on Wednesday when the plane diverted to New Mexico to remove the passenger.
She wrote on Twitter: “We just had to land the plane in New Mexico to remove an unruly passenger. He was wasted, kicking the seats, hit a flight attendant. Took his pants off. They just found an empty handle of Jack Daniels by his seat.”
A video captured the moment the man was removed, as he continued to swear at passengers and spat at the person filming.
An American Airlines spokesperson said: “On January 15, American Airlines flight 967 from Los Angeles to Chicago diverted to Albuquerque due to a disruptive passenger. The flight landed safely at 2:56pm MT and taxied to the gate. Law enforcement met the aircraft, and the flight re-departed at 3:58pm MT.