'Only took one puff': Passenger caught vaping in bathroom of SF-bound flight

Passenger caught vaping in plane bathroom on SF-bound flight

A passenger on an American Airlines flight from Phoenix to San Francisco was caught vaping in the bathroom.

SAN FRANCISCO - An American Airlines passenger was caught vaping in the bathroom of a San Francisco-bound flight, then accused a flight attendant of assault after he got busted.

Passenger claims he only took one hit

What we know:

Peter Nguyen recorded the Aug. 4 encounter between himself and a flight attendant on American Airlines Flight 2860 from Phoenix to San Francisco International Airport, which was a two-hour flight,

Nguyen told Storyful that he "only took one puff" of his vape before the flight attendant barged into the bathroom.

"I told her I was just using the bathroom and I apologized for vaping and I was recording," Nguyen said.

At the start of the nearly two-minute video, Nguyen is heard telling the flight attendant he was sitting on the toilet when she opened the door.

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The attendant appears to be explaining the safety hazards of his actions.

Nguyen apologizes.

"You can keep saying you’re sorry, but I care about all these passengers," the flight attendant replies.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, smoking of any kind, including vaping, is prohibited on aircraft and is a federal offense.

"You assaulted me"

What they're saying:

In the video, the flight attendant appears to reach for Nguyen’s phone when she realizes he is recording.

Nguyen alleges the woman put her hands on him, though no physical contact is seen in the footage.

"You do not put your hands on me," Nguyen said repeatedly. "You do not get to touch a passenger...You assaulted me."

He then berates the attendant, demands an apology, and threatens to call the police once the plane lands, telling her she’s "in so much trouble."

When the flight landed, Nguyen was met by police. It’s unclear if he faced any punishment.

American Airlines confirmed an incident occurred on the flight.

"A customer on American Airlines flight 2860 with service from Phoenix (PHX) to San Francisco (SFO) was removed from the aircraft upon arrival at SFO due to disruptive behavior. We thank our customers for their patience and apologize for any inconvenience," an American Airlines spokesperson said.