American flight attendant reportedly threatened to arrest woman whose seat was punched in viral video
The flight attendant threatened to boot her from the plane and handed her a notice that warned she could be prosecuted by the feds
An American Airlines traveler whose reclined seat was repeatedly pounded by an angry passenger sitting behind her claims an airline flight attendant threatened to have her bounced from the flight and even prosecuted by the feds for refusing to delete a video of the man's behavior, according to social media and a report.
The female traveler, Wendi Williams was aboard an American Eagle flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, from New Orleans on Jan. 31, when she reclined her seat. American Eagle is a regional subsidiary of American Airlines.
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The man behind her, who was in the last row and was therefore unable to recline his own chair, asked her to set it upright so he could eat. She agreed, but later reclined her chair again.
Williams said the man grew irate and began "hammering away" at the back of her seat and, in turn, her. She decided to film his tantrum.
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But instead of confronting the man, a flight attendant offered him a free cocktail. The airline employee then told Williams she was breaking the law by filming on the airplane.
The attendant handed her a "Passenger Disturbance Notice," ordering her to delete the video, and threatened to have her removed from the plane if she didn't comply, according to TMZ.
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The notice threatens federal prosecution, according to a picture obtained by TMZ.
Williams deleted the video but was later able to recover the footage. She posted the video to Twitter, where it quickly went viral.
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An American Airlines spokesperson told FOX Business they are looking into the matter.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.37 | +0.17 | +1.20% |
"We are aware of a customer dispute that transpired on American Eagle flight 4392, operated by Republic Airways on January 31," according to the statement. "The safety and comfort of our customers and team members is our top priority."
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"After much consideration, and exhausting every opportunity for #AmericanAirlines to do the right thing, I've decided to share my assault, from the passenger behind me, and the further threats, from an American Airline flight attendant," one of her tweets states. "She offered him a complimentary cocktail!"
Williams said she suffered injuries, including whiplash, as a result of the incident. She added she hopes the FBI will help.
"I will be calling the FBI to press charges against the 'man' who mistook me for a punching bag," she wrote on Twitter. "Anyone who doesn't like it, I don't care!"