'This airplane is going down!' Passenger physically attacks flight crew after Disney trip with 3-year-old daughter, DOJ says



A California man went on a violent rampage during a recent Frontier Airlines flight, according to the Department of Justice. After spending the weekend in Disneyland with his daughter, the man allegedly attacked the flight crew and screamed: "This airplane is going down!"

Charles Angel Salva of Fremont has been charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants. He appeared Thursday in federal court.

According to court documents, Salva told police he assaulted the flight attendants because he didn't want anyone to know he was a pedophile and that he had been hearing triggering voices.

Salva was on Frontier Airlines flight 3581, which departed Monday from John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana and was scheduled to land at the San Francisco International Airport.

Shortly after takeoff — while the airplane was increasing altitude and under 10,000 feet — the flight crew noticed oxygen masks in one row at the middle of the aircraft were out of the overhead compartment. Flight attendants discovered Salva had his hand stuck in the overhead compartment.

A passenger allegedly told investigators that Salva appeared claustrophobic, and it seemed as though he desperately wanted to exit the airplane.

Salva allegedly began yelling obscenities at the flight crew.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, Salva screamed, “We are all going to hell!” and, “This airplane is going down!”

Salva reportedly ran toward the rear of the plane as flight attendants attempted to restrain him.

Salva purportedly attempted to choke a flight attendant, leaving two small marks on the victim’s neck. The Daily Mail reported that while he was allegedly choking the airline employee, Salva said, "I’m going to choke this b****."

The unruly passenger then pushed another member of the flight staff "with force" and said he was going to kill everybody, according to the affidavit.

Passengers helped restrain Salva. He allegedly broke out of flex cuffs and had to be restrained with a seatbelt.

The DOJ said Salva kicked a flight attendant roughly six times in the leg, which caused bruising and swelling that required medical attention.

The flight had to be diverted to the Ontario International Airport because of the alleged outburst.

Once the plane touched down, Salva was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment.

A passenger told investigators they were flying back to San Francisco with Salva and his 3-year-old daughter after spending the weekend at Disneyland, Fox News noted, adding that court documents state Salva on Sunday left his daughter with the unnamed passenger and their family and then disappeared. Fox News added that the unnamed passenger said the Anaheim Police Department called saying Salva had been found covered in sewage at a liquor store.

The news outlet added that Salva reportedly told investigators, "I’m a child molester," and that he had molested his 3-year-old daughter multiple times before losing his custody rights. He allegedly told police that he believed everyone was trying to get him to admit his crimes, so he tried to pull the emergency flight button in an attempt to cause the airplane to crash. According to court documents, Salva told police he assaulted the flight attendants because he didn't want anyone to know he was a pedophile and that he had been hearing triggering voices. Salva also reportedly admitted that he consumed ecstasy before boarding the plane.

Frontier Airlines said in a statement, "We extend our utmost appreciation to the flight crew for their professionalism and to the other passengers who assisted during the incident, as well as local and federal law enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, for their efforts to ensure justice."

The FBI and the Ontario Police Department launched investigations.

If convicted, Salva would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

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'Did she piss herself?': Unhinged 'Karen' goes on drunk tirade at Dallas airport after barred from flight, mocks penis size of cop



Video has surfaced of a woman going on an unhinged tirade after being barred from an American Airlines flight at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. The woman – who is being described as a "Karen" – admitted to police that she was intoxicated from "very full" vodka beverages before berating a cop over his penis size and his salary.

Citing court documents, the Daily Mail reported that Angela Nicole Killian was arrested in September and charged with resisting arrest.

On Sept. 12, an airliner captain prohibited a woman from boarding a flight over concerns of her becoming an unruly passenger.

The American Airlines staff at the gate of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport informed police that Killian became belligerent after she was denied entrance to the plane traveling to Bogota, Colombia.

The 44-year-old woman allegedly got in the face and made physical contact with several American Airlines employees after being barred from the flight.

Killian was questioned by a female officer, and she broke down into tears and said she just wanted to go home.

Killian admitted that she consumed two "very full" vodka tonics at an airport bar, but it was not any more than she usually drinks when flying.

"I'm not innocent... I'm definitely not completely sober but, I'm not as drunk as you think I am. I'm just super traumatized," Killian told the officer as seen on the newly released police bodycam video.

Killian's temperament went from sadness to anger as she was detained at the airport.

"I am trying to be nice, and now I'm done so let's call my lawyer," she demanded as seen in the police bodycam footage.

Police gave Killian a chance to cool down, but she repeatedly demanded that she contact her lawyer. They informed her that she was not arrested, and only detained, but she became visibly frustrated by the situation.

The officer then told her that she was under arrest for public intoxication.

Killian became even more enraged after being arrested.

"You pieces of mediocre s**t of your life," Killian lashed out at the cops. "You feel good making $60,000 a year?"

The woman then insulted the male cop by saying that he has a small penis.

Killian is heard on bodycam video telling the cop, "You f***ing tiny piece of s**t. You feel good f***ing your wife with you're f***ing five-inch d**k?"

Killian appears to refuse to walk and descends to the floor on her stomach.

A male officer asks, "Did she piss herself? Yep, she did."

The female officer agreed that the suspect had urinated herself.

However, Killian had another reason for the urine odor.

Killian said, "It's probably the guy who f***ed your wife before he f***ed you."

She then incoherently lashed out at the officers, "You feel good about yourself? You f***ing six five eight d**k stack f***ing short tiny a** d**k... wearing a uniform makes you feel good about yourself? You and your f***ing facial hair.'

Police were forced to strap Killian's legs and carry her out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport until she agreed to walk.

After Killian was placed in the back of the police cruiser, officers discussed how much urine they got on themselves.

"I have it all over my leg. You're fine... it's on my pant leg completely, it's seeped through to my leg," a female police officer said.

Online commentator Collin Rugg said, "Karen of the year award goes to this lady."

Killian is scheduled to appear in Tarrant County Criminal Court on April 17. She reportedly has yet to enter a plea.

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(WARNING: Explicit language)

Watch: Florida man calls American Airlines passengers 'blue-eyed white devils,' threatens to 'take plane down,' doesn't end well for him



A Florida man went on a racist tirade on a recent American Airlines flight, where he threatened to "take down this plane." Video shows that the unruly passenger was physically removed from the airliner after ranting about "blue-eyed white devils" on the plane.

Shail Patel, 29, was onboard an American Airlines flight traveling on Tuesday from Tampa to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Court documents said Patel was intoxicated when he boarded the plane.

While the plane was still on the ground at the Tampa International Airport, Patel allegedly began "antagonizing passengers, calling flight attendants names, threatening passengers and aggressively moving through the aircraft."

"I'm trying to get to my home country and you people made it harder for me to get to my home country," Patel is seen yelling in the footage.

Court documents say Patel called American Airlines passengers "blue-eyed white devils" and threatened to "take this plane down with all you motherf***ers on it."

WFLA reported, "Police said Patel slapped one passenger on the hand and face and spit on them."

Video of the incident shows a fellow passenger attempting to escort Patel to the front of the plane, but then a physical altercation ensued. Patel got in the face of the passenger, and then he is shoved.

The passenger then put Patel in a headlock and forces him to the ground.

The passenger screams, "Put your hands down and don't touch anybody!"

A flight attendant used the public announcement system to ask if there were any off-duty police officers who could assist in removing Patel from the plane. Police said there were six off-duty police officers on the flight.

Video shows other male passengers restraining Patel and escorting him off the plane.

American Airlines said in a statement: "Prior to departure of American Airlines flight 2506 with service from Tampa (TPA) to Philadelphia (PHL), law enforcement was requested to the aircraft due to a disturbance in the cabin involving a disruptive customer. We thank our team for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience."

The flight was delayed by 30 minutes because of the unruly passenger.

Patel, from Tampa, was arrested and charged with two counts of battery and one count of disorderly intoxication.

Patel is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail on a $2,150 bond.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have been 411 reports of unruly passengers in 2024. There were 2,075 unruly passengers last year. The FAA, which began keeping track of unruly passengers in 2017, said the most incidents happened in 2021, with 5,973 reports of unruly passengers.

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— (@)


'Blood everywhere': Man stabs fellow passenger with makeshift weapon during Alaska Airlines flight because 'mafia' was chasing him



A man aboard a recent Alaska Airlines flight constructed a makeshift weapon to stab a fellow passenger, according to multiple reports. The suspect allegedly said that he needed to protect himself because the "mafia had been chasing him."

The bloody stabbing took place during an Alaska Airlines flight traveling from Seattle to Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2024.

Julio Alvarez Lopez was described as acting “fidgety” throughout the flight, according to the New York Post. He also repeatedly put on and removed his gloves and went to the bathroom for lengthy amounts of time during the plane's initial descent, the outlet reported.

While returning to his seat, Lopez allegedly began punching and hitting a fellow passenger seated across the aisle from him.

The suspect reportedly constructed a makeshift weapon comprised of pens wrapped together with rubber bands. Lopez is accused of using the improvised weapon in an attempt to stab the male passenger.

During the alleged attack, Lopez is said to have hit the victim's wife as she shielded her 7-year-old son from the crazed assault.

KLAS-TV reported, "The witness told investigators there 'was blood everywhere.' After the attack, Lopez started screaming, ‘I’ll only talk to the FBI,' documents said."

The victim survived the attack but was severely injured.

There was a law enforcement officer aboard the plane who ordered Lopez to sit down in an empty seat as the flight crew "worked to provide flex cuffs and the defendant was restrained for the remainder of the flight," according to court documents.

Lopez reportedly told law enforcement that he "felt the mafia had been chasing him the last few months."

The suspect "admitted to never seeing" the victim before the violent incident "but planned on attacking and killing him" because he believed the man was part of a cartel.

Lopez allegedly told the FBI that "he intended to kill" the victim and that he "had created the weapon he used" in the attack.

Alaska Airlines confirmed "an altercation between two passengers" on Flight 604 on Jan. 24

"The incident happened as the aircraft was on descent for arrival in Las Vegas. The aircraft landed safely, and law enforcement took one passenger into custody after the plane arrived at the gate," the statement read. "We’re thankful for our crew for their professionalism in the handling of the incident."

Lopez was charged with one count of assault with a dangerous weapon following his arrest at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. On Wednesday, Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury on the assault charge.

Lopez is scheduled to return to court on March 1.

FBI arrests man for allegedly stabbing passenger on Las Vegas-bound flight www.youtube.com

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Florida JetBlue flight diverted after unruly passenger claims to be the devil, punches female companion



A JetBlue flight traveling from Florida to Massachusetts was forced to divert its route and land early after an unruly passenger reportedly punched his female companion and claimed to be the devil.

JetBlue Flight 170 was traveling from Fort Lauderdale to Boston around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday. However, the plane was forced to divert its route and land in Orlando after a passenger allegedly started acting in a bizarre and violent way.

Passengers claimed that a man on the plane began making threats and telling people he was the devil. At one point, the male passenger reportedly punched the female companion that was traveling with him.

"I was in front of the plane so I heard no disturbance in the back, but we had one of the flight attendants tell the first few rows that there would be pit stop in Orlando, but they didn't want to make an announcement in case it angered the man," passenger Max Seelig told the news outlet out of Boston.

WCVB-TV reported, "One passenger who was sitting close to the man said flight attendants put the woman who was with the man in the plane's bathroom, and the man was punching the door to try to get her out."

A passenger said, "They put her inside the bathroom, and he tried to punch the door and take her out of the bathroom. It was pretty scary."

Video taken by passenger Leo Ruiz shows the unruly passenger being escorted off the flight by law enforcement after the JetBlue airliner had landed at Orlando International Airport.

After the alarming disturbance, the rest of the passengers had to disembark from the plane in Orlando. The passengers then had to wait for the plane to be refueled, stand by for a new crew to arrive, and then re-board the plane. The plane didn't land in Boston until 4:31 a.m. on Friday, according to the New York Post.

JetBlue allegedly sent an email to the passengers that read: "This disruption is considered an uncontrollable disruption; meaning it's due to events outside of JetBlue's control (things like Air Traffic Control or weather disruptions) and, unfortunately, does not qualify for customer compensation or reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses."

“The individual was intoxicated and transported to local hospital by [Orlando Fire Department] for treatment,” a department spokesperson told the New York Post.

The unruly passenger's name was not released by authorities, and he was reportedly not arrested.

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Boston-bound JetBlue flight from Florida diverted by passenger claiming to be devil www.youtube.com

Man seen in viral video taped to seat for allegedly groping breasts of flight attendants sentenced to prison



The young man who allegedly sexually and physically assaulted flight attendants during a Frontier Airlines flight last year has been sentenced to prison by a federal judge.

Maxwell Berry, of Norwalk, Ohio, pleaded guilty to three counts of assault in February. At the time, Berry's lawyers asked the judge for no jail time by stating, "Max Berry is a good man who committed a bad act, that was not planned, it was committed in an unsophisticated manner, and it is an aberration."

Berry, 23, was sentenced to 60 days in prison and one year of supervised release on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Robert Scola Jr. in a federal court in Miami, Florida. Berry was also ordered by the court to pay a $2,500 fine and more than $1,500 in restitution.

Berry's lawyer – Jason Kreiss – claimed that the incident was not representative of his client.

"He’s a really good kid from a great family, who was punished for his worst day," Kreiss told NBC News in a statement. "Although we don’t believe 60 days was necessary based on Max’s significant self-reform and other mitigating factors, we respect the judgment of the court."

The judge ruled that Berry must report to federal prison by Aug. 1 – almost exactly one year from his shocking behavior during a Frontier Airlines flight from Philadelphia to Miami.

Berry consumed two alcoholic drinks during the flight and ordered a third adult beverage, according to police.

TheBlaze previously reported that Berry brushed an empty cup against the backside of a female flight attendant. The woman reportedly instructed the unruly passenger not to touch her.

Berry then spilled a drink on his shirt and went to the bathroom to clean up, according to the police report. He emerged from the airliner bathroom shirtless, which prompted a flight attendant to help him retrieve a new shirt from his carry-on bag.

He then reportedly walked around the commercial airplane mid-flight for 15 minutes.

People reported, "During his time roaming the plane, he reportedly groped another female flight attendant's breasts, the police report noted. He later went behind the two female airline employees 'and put his arms around both of them and groped their breasts again.'"

A male flight attendant intervened, but Berry punched him in the face, according to the police report. Passengers helped the flight crew restrain Berry, and then bound him to a seat by using a seatbelt extender and tape. Berry was taped to the airline seat for the remainder of the flight. He was taken into custody at Miami International Airport following the incident.

Berry's now-infamous unruly behavior was exposed in a viral video that has over 13 million views.

Frontier passenger allegedly touched 2 flight attendants breasts, then screamed his parents are worth $2 million, before punching a flight attendant. Frontier suspended the crew for duct taping the passenger to his seat as they landed in Miami. 22 yr old Max Berry is in custody.pic.twitter.com/4xS9Rwvafx
— Sam Sweeney (@Sam Sweeney) 1627994393

Jordan Galarza – the flight attendant who was reportedly punched by Berry – told WPLG on Tuesday, "My number role on any aircraft is to protect the passengers, including Maxwell Berry, who we did get to Miami safely that day."

Galarza defended the decision to tape Berry to the seat, "You can say it looked a bit barbaric, but it worked perfectly and no one got hurt because of how we did what we did."

Galarza said Berry's 60-day prison sentence isn't enough of a punishment.

"He made an enemy of everyone on that flight. The people on that aircraft saw justice happen – more than what we saw today," Galarza said after Berry was sentenced.

Flight attendant speaks out after man duct taped to seat is sentenced www.youtube.com

'The View' co-host expresses shock that she agrees with Ted Cruz on an issue: 'I feel kind of creeped out'



Sunny Hostin, co-host of "The View," expressed shock Wednesday after learning that she actually agreed with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) — and claimed she was "creeped out by it."

What is the background?

Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the nation's largest flight attendant union, is advocating for unruly passengers to be placed on a national no-fly list. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian agrees and sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland last week requesting the DOJ prosecute unruly passengers and place them on a no-fly list.

But Republican lawmakers are pushing back.

A group of eight GOP senators wrote Garland this week condemning the request. They explained that placing unruly passengers, including those who become agitated over the federal mask mandate for transportation, on the federal no-fly list "would seemingly equate them to terrorists who seek to actively take the lives of Americans and perpetrate attacks on the homeland."

What did Hostin say?

Speaking about the issue on "The View," Hostin explained that, in agreement with Cruz, she opposes taking such dramatic actions against unruly airline passengers.

"It scares me, though. I never thought there would be a day when I kind of agree with Ted Cruz, so I feel kind of creeped out by it. I feel very weird about this," Hostin admitted.

Noting the possible repeal of the federal mask mandate on airplanes, Hostin then explained why she opposes the push to expand the no-fly list.

"The mask mandate is gonna be, I think, overturned on March 18th, and it's not even going to be a TSA mandate anymore. And now you'll have people on the no-fly list for a law that's not even in place," Hostin said. "And it deputizes flight attendants. They have a very hard job, but who decides which passenger gets put on that no-fly list?"

Sen. Ted Cruz Opposes No-Fly List For Unruly Passengers | The View www.youtube.com

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg, however, expressed support for adding unruly passengers to no-fly lists, saying the government must "become nannies" to handle unruly passengers.

"We have to become nannies because people don't do the right thing," Goldberg said.

Meanwhile, co-host Joy Behar compared the issue to other developments on airlines, like smoking being banned and flight desks being locked because of Sept. 11. Behar then claimed, without evidence, that Cruz and other Republican lawmakers who wrote to Garland do not actually care about the issue, but are just playing politics.

Pete Buttigieg says federal no-fly list for unruly, violent airline passengers should be considered



Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday the Biden administration should consider placing unruly airline passengers on the federal no-fly list.

What are the details?

During an interview on CNN's "State of the Union," host Dana Bash asked Buttigieg whether the federal government should place unruly or violent airline passengers on the federal no-fly list.

In response, Buttigieg agreed the option "should be on the table."

"Look, it is completely unacceptable to mistreat, abuse, or even disrespect flight crews," Buttigieg said. "These flight attendants have been on the frontlines of the pandemic from day one. And they're up there, as the announcement always say, for your safety."

"There is absolutely no excuse for this kind of treatment of flight crews in the air or any of the essential workers, from bus drivers to air crews who get people to where they need to be," he continued.

"The FAA stands strongly with flight crews. It's why you're seeing some really harsh penalties and fines being proposed," Buttigieg explained. "And we will continue to look at all options to make sure that flight crews and passengers are safe."

Bash presses Buttigieg on paid family leave youtu.be

As travel volume has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the FAA has recorded nearly 5,000 "unruly passenger reports." The FAA has also documented nearly 3,600 "mask-related incident reports."

In one shocking incident last week, an American Airlines flight attendant suffered broken bones when she was assaulted by an angry passenger.

The Washington Post reported:

A flight attendant for American Airlines suffered broken bones in her face and had to be hospitalized after a passenger allegedly attacked her Wednesday in an incident the company's chief executive called "one of the worst displays of unruly behavior we've ever witnessed." The incident occurred on a flight from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. It prompted the pilots to divert the flight to Denver, where the passenger was temporarily detained.

The flight attendant apparently bumped the passenger while moving through the first-class cabin, according to Julie Hedrick, president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, which represents those who fly for American Airlines. The flight attendant apologized, but the passenger left his seat, confronted her as she stood in the aircraft's galley, then punched her in the face, Hedrick said.

The FAA has a zero tolerance policy for unruly and dangerous behavior. The agency is legally permitted to levy fines of up to $37,000 per violation of the FAA Reauthorization Act.

The question becomes, then, what exactly will government classify as behavior qualifying of being placed on the no-fly list, and will there be due process? Those are questions the Biden administration will have to answer if they truly consider moving forward with such a plan.

FAA announces 'zero-tolerance' crackdown on unruly passengers: No more warnings; expect big fines and possible jail time



We have all heard horror stories of unruly airline passengers making life miserable for hundreds of fellow passengers.

Flyers will fight with each other or with airline staff. And things have reportedly gotten much worse with the airlines' adoption of mask mandates and the recent riot at the U.S. Capitol.

In response to increasing unruliness among passengers, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an order this week designed to crack down on travelers' bad behavior.

What's the deal with the new FAA order?

The new order signed by FAA chief Stephen Dickson on Wednesday empowers airlines to implement a no-nonsense, "stricter legal enforcement policy against unruly airline passengers," the agency said in a statement.

According to the FAA, the airline industry "has seen a disturbing increase in incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior." The agency said the incidents partly stemmed from customers' refusal to wear face masks during the pandemic and from the Jan. 6 violence at the Capitol.

For example, air travel news site GateChecked.com reported that "almost 3,000 passengers have been put on temporary no-fly lists as a result of failing to wear masks on board. Tensions have risen due to the Capitol Hill riot, even resulting in an American Airlines pilot 'threatening' to dump passengers in Kansas if they don't 'behave.'"

The new policy scraps the warnings and counseling the agency has historically used to deal with unruly passengers. The FAA will now "pursue legal enforcement action" against anyone who gets out of line. Actions include massive fines and possible jail time.

"Passengers who interfere with, physically assault, or threaten to physically assault aircraft crew or anyone else on an aircraft face stiff penalties, including fines of up to $35,000 and imprisonment," the FAA statement said. "This dangerous behavior can distract, disrupt, and threaten crewmembers' safety functions."

The agency highlighted that, though it does not have the power to criminally charge passengers, it "works closely with federal law enforcement and national security partners on any reported security threats that may impact aviation safety."

Dickson told CNBC on Thursday that the "zero-tolerance" policy was prompted by a surprising increase in the number of disruptions.

"This is about flight safety," he said. "Any time we see a trend like this, we need to take action, because traveling on a commercial airline in the United States is the safest form of travel in human history. And I want to make sure it stays that way."

Dickson admitted that in the past the FAA would adjudicate many of the unruly passenger situations with counseling or warnings, but he said that "with this order ... I'm telling my inspectors, I'm telling my attorneys in the FAA chief counsel office that we need to expedite gathering the facts on all of these, and we're going to take immediate enforcement action in appropriate situations."

"That's what we mean by a 'zero-tolerance' policy," he said.

Folks in the airline industry heaped praise on the FAA's move.

Airlines for America, the trade organization for airlines in the U.S., said in a tweet, "The safety and security of passengers and employees is the top priority of the U.S. airline industry, and we welcome the @FAANews' order to implement a more stringent policy regarding unruly passenger behavior."

The safety and security of passengers and employees is the top priority of the U.S. airline industry, and we welcom… https://t.co/6rB3hBVlsU
— Airlines for America (@Airlines for America)1610583596.0

“First strike and you're out," Sara Nelson, the head of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, said, ABC News reported. "We applaud FAA Administrator Dickson for taking this clear stand for our safety and security. This will help serve as a deterrent to unruly passengers who had been bucking the rules of aviation safety. We continue to work with our airlines, the FAA, the TSA and law enforcement to keep our skies safe."

The new FAA order will be in place until March 30.