A Frontier Airlines passenger was restrained using a tape after allegedly groping two flight attendants. He also punched another in the face. The disruptive passenger was on July 31 flight from Philadelphia to Miami according to a police report.
The passenger was 22-year-old Maxwell Berry from Norwalk Ohio. He finished two drinks and ordered another one. He then allegedly brushed the empty cup on the flight attendant’s “back side inappropriately” according to the Miami-Dade police report. Berry then proceeded to grope the breasts of two flight attendants. After the incident, the two flight attendants asked for the assistance of a third cabin crew member. Berry then allegedly punched that flight attendant in the face “with a closed fist”.
After throwing the punch, “a fight ensued” according to the report. The third flight attendant along with “nearby passengers” restrained Berry. Authorities arrested Berry at the Miami International Airport.
The Frontier Airlines passenger becoming unruly and violent against flight attendants isn’t something new. In fact, this type of incident is now becoming common. According to the FAA, there are 3,715 reports of unruly passengers for this year alone. Around 75% of these cases were passengers who refused to wear their masks on board.
There is an existing mask mandate that requires travelers to wear their masks at both airports and aboard airplanes. Aside from the mask mandate, there is an existing zero tolerance on unruly passengers. However, airline groups have called for the DOJ to prosecute unruly passengers.
Sara Nelson who is the president of the Association of Flight Attendants said that “When people are facing jail time for acting out on plane, we suddenly see some sobering up”. She added that “criminal penalties are critical to making it very clear that there are severe consequences for this type of action”.
According to the group, they conducted a survey and 85% of their members reported encountering an unruly passenger.
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