Appalling moment United passenger punches gate agent and knocks him out

A disgruntled United Airlines passenger punched a gate agent in the face which knocked the airport staffer to the ground, leaving him unconscious.

The violent outburst happened last Thursday evening at 5:30pm at Virginias Dulles International Airport by gate D12 when Christopher Stuart Crittenden, a 54-year-old man from Frederick, Maryland, suddenly lost control and lashed out.

Video footage, which has since gone viral, captures the moment as Crittenden strides toward the gate agent and without warning swings his fist striking the unsuspecting employee squarely in the face. 

The force of the impact was so severe the agent instantly fell to floor.

As the short four second clip suddenly ended bystanders were heard gasping in horror. 

Officers from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority quickly arrested Crittenden and charged him with assault and disorderly conduct. 

The injured gate agent was left badly shaken and taken to a local hospital, where he received treatment for his injuries. 

Officials have not explained was triggered Crittendens outburst but other passengers who witnessed what happened say it all began with a canceled flight. 

Christopher Stuart Crittenden, a 54-year-old man from Frederick, Maryland, punched a United Airlines gate agent in the face

Video shot by a fellow passenger saw Crittenden march up to the gate agent before lashing out

Tensions were already mounting passengers were left scrambling for alternatives with their frustration mounting by the minute.

Crittenden appeared to be seething with anger when he attempted to push past the gate agent, demanding answers. 

The agent, standing firm, tried to block his advance. Im done with this bulls***, Crittenden could be heard shouting before he attacked the agent.

United Airlines have wasted no time in taking action. The passenger involved has been banned from future travel on United, the airline confirmed in a statement to DailyMail.com 

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) released a scathing statement condemning the attack and calling for greater protections for those on the frontlines of air travel.

Our members deserve a workplace where they can focus on providing excellent customer service, not one where they fear being attacked by passengers, the IAM stated. 

This latest incident is yet another example of the unacceptable rise in violence against frontline airline workers, and immediate action is needed to address it.

Crittenden slugged the United Airlines worker squarely in the face knocking him to the floor

The punch was so hard the agent was knocked out and had to go to hospital

United Airlines has confirmed the incident and say the passenger has been banned from flying with them in the future

The union, which represents over 100,000 airline employees, painted a grim picture of the current state of the industry. 

Gate agents and flight attendants alike have become frequent targets of passenger rage, enduring everything from verbal abuse to physical assaults.

Across the country, airline customer service representatives continue to face physical assaults, including being punched, kicked, struck by thrown luggage, and having their clothing ripped. Some of these attacks have resulted in life-altering injuries.