American Airways passenger arrested after found punching a flight attendant on Mexico to Los Angeles plane

FORT Worth, Texas — A guy who was evidently caught on video clip slugging a flight attendant in the again of the head all through an American Airways flight was arrested right after the plane landed in Los Angeles.

Authorities charged Alexander Tung Cuu Le on Thursday with interfering with a flight crew. Le, of Westminster, California, faces up to 20 several years in jail if convicted.

The incident occurred Wednesday on a flight from San Jose del Cabo in Mexico to Los Angeles Intercontinental Airport. Movie posted by another passenger confirmed a gentleman jogging up behind a male flight attendant and punching him as the crew member walked in the other direction.

According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, soon immediately after takeoff Le grabbed yet another flight attendant by the shoulders and questioned for coffee. He was informed to hold out.

When Le, 33, moved from the back of the aircraft to an open seat around the first-course cabin, the male flight attendant requested him to return to his assigned seat. Instead, Le stood in a two-fisted preventing stance and swung an arm at the crew member but missed, in accordance to the affidavit.

The flight attendant was on his way to report the incident to the pilot when he was struck in the again of the head.

A number of travellers “apprehended” Le and cuffed his hands and legs with restraints presented by a different flight attendant, according to the FBI agent. The injured flight attendant, who expended the rest of the flight with an ice bag on his head, was taken to a healthcare facility.

The president of the Affiliation of Skilled Flight Attendants, the union representing American’s cabin crews, explained the passenger experienced exhibited “risky, life-threatening habits.”

“Thankfully, the crew and passengers subdued the passenger, and the flight landed properly,” explained the union formal, Julie Hedrick. “This violent behavior puts the protection of all passengers and crew in jeopardy and have to stop.”

Airline spokesman Curtis Blessing claimed American has banned the gentleman from ever traveling on the airline. He said American was encouraging regulation enforcement examine the incident.

According to Federal Aviation Administration figures, airlines have reported just about 2,000 incidents involving unruly travellers this year, down from almost 6,000 very last 12 months even with a 38% enhance in U.S. air tourists.

Most of the incidents in 2021 and early 2022 associated travellers who refused to wear confront masks, but the federal requirement for masks on planes and general public transportation was struck down by a federal choose in April.

Authorities figures do not point out how normally the incidents turn violent, though it seems to be rare. The most infamous circumstance concerned a younger woman who punched a Southwest flight attendant, breaking some of her tooth, on a plane in California. The woman was sentenced to 15 months in prison.