Watch Passenger Slap Air Hostess in the Face in Elbow Room Row, as Coronavirus Tensions Mount

A man was tackled to the ground by fellow passengers after a row over elbow room got out of hand.

Wild video from aboard a Brussels Airlines flight about to take off on Friday was posted on Facebook, which culminates in a male passenger being jumped on after slapping a female air steward across the face after she struck him.

According to the post, it all kicked off when the passenger complained that his mother-in-law was being elbowed by two men on either side of her.

The video shows the irate passenger screaming at airline staff, who repeatedly tell him to calm down.

"You don't put your Goddamn hands on me! Motherf--ker!" he yells back. "I will beat the shit out of you!"

"This stewardess put her hands on my husband, and he's mad," his wife can be heard saying, as the confrontation continues in the aisle.

WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

While the man was initially wearing a face mask, he has it pulled down during his foul-mouthed tirade, and appears to accidentally spray spit on some of the people he yells at, which they seemingly wipe off their faces with dismay. Many of the staff are wearing gloves, but no masks.

When a male steward tries to usher him down the aisle, telling him the police are coming, the passenger tells him to "shut the f--k up" and appears to attempt to strike him in the face.

Pointing a finger, a female supervisor then tells him: "Now you listen, and you calm down. You will go with police," prompting screams from his family that he was not the culprit who started the fight.

"Listen, we heard you already, now you're finished," she tells him sternly. "If you don't finish, you will get in trouble," -- but he doesn't finish.

"The f--k you want? What you ask b---h?" he screams, getting in her face. She reacts by slapping him -- and he reacts by slapping her back.

Passengers who had been spectating to this point immediately jump to their feet and drag him to the floor.

According to the poster his ribs were broken and he was dragged off the plane and down the steel staircase by police.

Thousands of US citizens flooded airports in America over the weekend after the White House abruptly declared a travel ban to and from 26 European countries in an attempt to curb the spread of coronavirus. Many Americans cut their European vacations short in a frenzy to get home. While others saw their work and holiday plans postponed indefinitely until further notice. Fears over recycled air and hygiene within the closed space of an airplane have also stoked fears of travel across the globe.

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