Intoxicated Delta Passenger Steals Bag In Sky Club, Gets Arrested

I suppose this is the downside to open bars in a Sky Club (thanks to View from the Wing for flagging this)…

A man’s dramatic arrest at Salt Lake City Airport lounge

This incident happened at around 8:30PM on June 8, 2025. 29-year-old Delta passenger Joseph Johnson was visiting the Sky Club at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), but wasn’t exactly on his best behavior. He was reportedly so intoxicated that he tried to steal another passenger’s backpack, valued at $4,000 (including the contents).

He was then kicked out of the Sky Club for his behavior. Once in the terminal, police tried to confront him. He was briefly compliant, but then tried to ram his luggage into officers, and even tried to grab a holstered gun from one of the police officers, yanking it so hard that the officer’s belt lifted up.

At this point, police officers forced him to the ground and restrained him, and he was taken to jail. He now faces charges of theft, disarming a police officer, public intoxication, and interfering with a peace officer.

One certainly wonders if he was so intoxicated before he entered the Sky Club, and if there was more than just alcohol involved.

Always keep an eye on your belongings in lounges

It’s not entirely clear if the bag that was stolen was unattended at the time that it was snatched, or if he just brazenly took it directly from someone. Regardless, this is a good reminder to always keep an eye on your bags in lounges.

It’s interesting, because we largely normalize the concept of leaving bags unattended in airport lounges, even though it’s not a best practice, for obvious reasons. Admittedly there are many factors at play here, and most people would probably act differently in an international first class lounge with a dozen guests, than a domestic credit card lounge with hundreds of guests.

Bottom line

A Delta passenger visiting the Sky Club was kicked out after stealing a bag from another guest. When confronted by police, he became aggressive and even tried to grab the officer’s gun. Goodness, airports and airplanes really bring out the worst in some people, eh? Talk about decidedly un-premium behavior!