A California man has been arrested by Los Angeles police for assaulting a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight.
The out-of-control incident occurred on Wednesday on an American Airlines flight from San José del Cabo, Mexico to Los Angeles.
The suspect, Alexander Tung Cuu Le, 33, was arrested by FBI officers after the plane landed at the Los Angeles airport. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars for interfering with flight crew attendants, a serious crime.
According to the charge sheet, the confrontation started shortly after the plane took off, when the accused allegedly approached a female flight attendant, grabbing her by the shoulders while he asked for a cup of coffee. A few minutes later, the passenger grabbed her by both shoulders and she stepped back and put her hands up in a defensive manner, the document says.
The suspect later left his seat and flopped himself down on a another seat, near the bulkhead which separated business and economy class sections. A male flight attendant asked him to return to his own seat, but shockingly, the passenger assumed an aggressive position and swung at the flight attendant. When the attendant turned to walk away, Le advanced and punched him in the back of his head. Other passengers got involved and helped to restrain the attacker.
Le was then restrained and handcuffed in another seat in another row.
In a statement to the media, American Airlines condemned the violent act and praised their staff for acting professionally. They emphasized that acts of violence against their staff are not tolerated. They confirmed that the man has been banned from flying with American Airlines in the future.
The District Attorney’s office in Central California confirmed that the passenger was arrested. They added that the FBI is working with the federal prosecutor to hasten investigation of the case.
The Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents more than 24,000 flight attendants, condemned the attacker. According to the association’s president, Julie Hedrick, the attack was dangerous and threatened the lives of the flight crew members.
Attacks like this on airplanes have increased dramatically since the Covid-19 pandemic, when flight attendants had to make face masks mandatory. The Federal Aviation Administration received 5,981 reports of unruly passenger behavior 2021. They have so far this year investigated 1,113 reports, enforcing action in 350 cases.
Le was charged Thursday with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants.
It doesn’t look like he will be traveling anywhere in the near future.