California Man Faces Criminal Charges After Attacking an American Airlines Flight Attendant

A California man is dealing with criminal charges after violently attacking an American Airlines flight attendant last week. Brian Hsu, 20 years old, is facing criminal charges including assault and interference with a flight crew according to authorities on Monday.

Passenger Faces Criminal Charges

Hsu allegedly assaulted a flight attendant on October 27, 2021, aboard the American Airlines Flight 976. The flight rerouted to Denver, Colorado after the incident happened. The Federal Bureau of Investigation with the help of the Denver Police Department is investigating the case.

American Airlines CEO Doug Parker calls the incident “one of the worst displays of unruly behavior we’ve ever witnessed”.

Paul Harthshorn Jr of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants told the story to CBS Los Angeles. He said that “After a flight attendant, who was working in a different cabin, bumped this passenger, we’re told she then walked into one of the flight galleys and this passenger approached her and punched her in the face at least twice”. He added that “she sustained broken bones in her nose and her face”.

Mackenzie Rose, a passenger on the flight saw the incident and said that “he actually punched her twice”. Another passenger, identified only as Jack, said that a doctor onboard checked on the flight attendant right after the incident.

She then went to a local hospital in Denver and went back to New York on that same day according to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants.

Aggressive Prosecution Needed

Hsu will make an initial appearance on Monday according to the Department of Justice. Parker said that he wants an “aggressive criminal prosecution”. He added that “As for this individual, I can guarantee you he will never be allowed to fly American Airlines again. But that is not enough – this type of behavior has to stop”.

There are several cases of unruly behavior on planes since the start of the pandemic. For this year alone, US airlines banned more than 4,000 people. The Federal Aviation Administration already initiated 789 investigations involving unruly passengers in 2021.