American Airlines bans passenger who ‘violently’ assaulted flight attendant, forcing plane to divert
- American Airlines flight from New York to California diverted to Denver after passenger assaulted flight attendant
- Airline’s CEO called the incident ‘one of the worst displays of unruly behaviour we’ve ever witnessed’
American Airlines Chief Executive Doug Parker said the carrier has banned a male passenger who “violently, physically assaulted” a flight attendant and he’s urging “immediate” criminal prosecutions to deter such behaviour.
The in-flight episode was “one of the worst displays of unruly behaviour we’ve ever witnessed,” Parker said Thursday in a video posted on his Instagram account. The incident occurred Wednesday evening aboard an American flight from New York City to Orange County, California, prompting pilots to divert to Denver, where the alleged perpetrator was arrested.
The flight attendant was reportedly taken to a hospital, but details on her condition weren’t immediately released. ABC News reported she suffered broken bones in her face.
“As to this individual, I can guarantee you he will never be allowed to fly American Airlines again,” Parker said.
It wasn’t immediately clear what prompted the incident on Flight 976.