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10 December, 2021

Drunk woman restrained with cable ties on flight after attacking cabin crew

By James Harrison

An intoxicated woman was restrained with cable ties after attacking two flight attendants on a US flight late last month, according to staff reports.

The Spirit Airlines flight left Fort Lauderdale, Florida at 6pm for Nashville.

Police on the ground who were contacted by crew before landing, arrested the passenger for public intoxication, according to WZTV Nashville.

The flight crew told police that Amanda Henry punched a flight attendant and pulled another flight attendant’s hair. A fellow passenger then restrained her legs with cable ties before the flight touched down.

The ties were removed once the plane landed and Henry was asked to walk off the plane. According to the police affidavit, she shouted “Shoot me,” and “I didn’t do anything wrong,” to the police before being escorted off the plane.

Police also reported that she smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and when asked how much she had to drink replied, “a lot.”

As the police tried to get Henry into the police car, she resisted arrest by stiffening her legs.

The police said the flight attendant did not wish to press charges for the assault, however, the airline said otherwise.

“We do not tolerate aggressive behaviour of any kind, and this passenger is no longer welcome on any of our flights,” said Spirit Airlines spokesperson Nicole Aguiar.

“Thank you to our guests who assisted our crew and local law enforcement for their assistance. We will work with the relevant authorities to ensure this individual is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

This is the latest in a string of unruly passenger incidences triggered by alcohol consumption or mask-wearing rules on flights.

One passenger was charged $US40,000 after they allegedly drank alcohol they brought onto their flight, sexually assaulted a flight attendant, then snuck off to the bathroom to smoke weed.

Another passenger was charged $US24,000 for allegedly taking off his mask multiple times after crew members told him to keep it on. He then swore at other passengers and yelled at a crew member: “This is America. This is free speech. What don’t you understand?” after being repeatedly asked to calm down.

The man was deemed a security risk and after pointing his finger in the face of a crew member and shouting “You!” the flight was diverted to Atlanta where law enforcement met the plane at the gate.

The FAA said it had received 300 reports of “passenger disturbances due to alcohol and intoxication” since the beginning of the year, and many crew members have been learning self-defence in the face of rising passenger unruliness.

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