Unfortunately, it wasn’t entirely unexpected that a Hawaiian Airlines flight attendant was punched twice in an unprovoked incident on Thursday. Continue on for a chilling video on this issue.
As you know, a Hilo-bound Hawaiian Airlines flight was forced to return to Honolulu yesterday after a passenger allegedly punched a flight attendant twice in an “unprovoked incident.”
The widely reported assault, amid a nationwide uptick in attacks on airline employees, prompted widespread condemnation from the industry and government. A federal investigation is pending.
Sheriffs arrested a 32-year-old Hawaii Island resident for third-degree assault. He was then transferred to the Federal Detention Center in Honolulu, where he remains in FBI custody. He had no prior criminal record.
Two incidents yesterday. The first on HA 152.
According to Hawaiian Airlines, Flight 152 departed Honolulu at about 730 am. Soon after takeoff, the passenger “assaulted one of our flight attendants, who was walking down the aisle, in an unprovoked incident” in an issue “not triggered by non-compliance with mask wearing policies. The flight attendant was shaken up but is doing well.”
A spokesperson for the flight attendants’ union said that the flight attendant, a man, was beaten twice as he walked through the cabin picking up trash. Others have reported that it was during the service component of the flight, not trash pickup, that the problem arose. The flight attendants’ union representative confirmed that “there was no escalating incident. Suddenly, from their seat (they) punched a flight attendant in the chest and then swung again at the flight attendant. There’s no clear reason why.”
Yesterday’s second incident was on HA 22.
Flight 22 departed just after 1 pm, bound for Seattle. Hawaii DOT confirmed a disturbance that resulted in the plane turning back to Honolulu, where it landed about four hours later.
At about two hours into the flight, the passenger, according to Hawaiian Airlines, refused to comply with the federal mask mandate. Flight attendants, together with a pilot who was not actively working the flight, were able to get the situation under control. The captain nonetheless decided to return to Honolulu, where the passenger was taken into custody. As you know, any issue, whether medical, mechanical or otherwise, over the open ocean is of tremendous concern. Typically flights will divert to the nearest location, which, since it occurred only two hours into the flight, would still have been Hawaii.
Hawaiian Airlines also said they have either denied boarding to or banned nearly 100 passengers so far this year. We don’t know the details of how many of the issues arose en route vs. those passengers who were not permitted to board flights.
The flight attendants’ union representative said, “We still have incidents where people are just wearing their face mask below their nose or improperly until a flight attendant walks by, and that aggravates the other passengers, and it causes a difficult situation. So it’s been difficult through this pandemic, and things have certainly peaked because of it.”
The worst time ever for airline employees now includes those based in Hawaii.
The union also said that this had been the worst year to date in terms of unruly passengers. It is a hard enough job under normal conditions. Now, however, people’s nerves seem to be on edge constantly. Flight attendants report being understandably “anxious, fearful.”
Problems exacerbated by alcohol.
Unruly passenger incidents are in many cases exacerbated by alcohol, which has led airlines to begin banning alcoholic beverages. Southwest and American have both banned alcohol sales at least into 2022. We do expect others to follow. The sale of alcoholic beverages at airports is also under scrutiny.
The flight attendant rep also said, “Most people expect that we’re just serving beverages or taking care of the comfort, but really we’re there as safety professionals, and that’s the most important thing to know or recognize about flight attendants. We all have to coexist in this tiny tube up in the sky, but our hope is that we can continue to bring our passengers back and forth safely.”
JetBlue incident also occurred Thursday.
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Jared X says
By simple definition, this event was not really “Air Rage” in the contemporary sense if it was truly an “unprovoked incident” (unlikely) and “not triggered by non-compliance with mask wearing policies”. It certainly could have simply been a mental health incident… or an alcohol-related incident–both of which have been happening on flights as long as there have been airlines.
In terms of preventing the former, short of requiring some sort of mental health exam and certification from all passengers–pre-flight–there’s not much that can be done about those. In terms of preventing the latter, the airlines stopped serving alcohol–and the number of incidents either remained pretty constant or increased–so clearly that’s not the solution. And as a frequently flyer who often has a beer or two on flights–without attacking the flight crew–I’m annoyed and frankly insulted that the beverage service in general has been eliminated or greatly diminished on most flights. The reality is that 99.8576835% of passengers–if not more–are able to have a beer or two… or a glass of wine… or a vodka and soda–and not lose on the plane. So they should not be punished for the bad behavior of the .14% of passengers that cannot. A small percentage of drivers on the road are also impaired… and they kill poeple sometimes… and that sucks. But you don’t hear any (serious) talk about not selling alcohol anymore… or closing down all the bars.
And what’s with turning the flight around and going back to Honolulu? The flight time from Hilo to Honolulu is like 50 minutes… so that’s maybe 20 to 30 minutes in the air at most. Why turn around and go back to where you started from when you be at your final destination point in about the same time–if not less? That just screws over everyone on the plane for no good reason.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: There should be federal flight bans for any passengers convicted for this kind of chicanery.
George says
People get pissed when you take away their freedoms!
Fred B. says
Like the ability to get to destination you paid hard earned money to get to because an infantile wanker believes wearing a mask is in some way a violation of their freedom? Utter nonsense.
Suzanna G. says
The FAA & airlines should implement all 3 suggestions. The level of selfish entitlement by these passengers is out of control & puts everyone else on their plane at risk. Not only from Covid-19 but a potentially distracted or injured crew as we are hurtling thru the air 500mph+ at 30,000ft. Enough! Ban them, better yet jail time.Flight attendants deserve a safe work environment & the rest of us, some peace & health when we fly. Thank you BOH
Beat of Hawaii says
Hi Suzanna.
Thanks for your input on this issue and your many comments.
Aloha.
Dixie M. says
This saddens me to know that we as people are not following basic rules of behavior. Follow the rules and be kind in your responses to others. Don’t fly if you are not willing to obey the simplest of rules.
Markr says
On top of jail time and dollar fines that individual should be banned for lifetime of flying on all airlines.
Guy F says
This truly can be a horrifying experience. I’ve worked security in prison (now retired) and have been assaulted “out of the blue”. Most of the time, you know it’s going to happen, but sometimes I didn’t see it coming. Of course I was trained to defend myself and my back-up came.
Airline workers (most of them) are NOT security. Plus, where is back-up going to come from to help an Attendant subdue the assailant.
You are ALL in my thoughts and prayers.
Much Aloha for doing what you do for those of us flying.
Kim T. says
The pandemic has made travel difficult at best. Travelers should please remember that it’s not the flight attendants who make the rules but they do have to enforce them. I choose not to travel so I don’t have to put up with the ridiculousness of some of these rules. The choice is pretty clear.
Craig says
It befuddles me as to why this type of behavior and the aforementioned policing falls upon an individual airlines’ no-fly list. Physical assaults of this nature is terrorism, pure and simple. Those guilty of such action should be put on federal no-fly lists and never make it through an airport TSA checkpoint no matter what airline they were able cajole a ticket from. Problem solved (at least a second occurrence and hopefully provides other deterrence’s).
Rita D says
I don’t understand the rage in our society right now. Road rage and flight passenger rage. Do I like to wear a mask? What I prefer to fly without wearing a mask? Does it really matter? If I choose to fly and know what requires wearing a mask, I accept that responsibility. Adults are acting like 2-year-olds throwing temper tantrums. Are we going to have to resort to psychological testing before we can fly? I feel very sorry for flight attendants. I am also concerned about the safety of other passengers. Do we need to resort to flight Marshalls being on each plane? What will that do to airline fares? I have no answer but these are things we really need to think about seriously. Aloha.
Linda T says
Great idea that will benefit both the airline employees and the flying public.
If a passenger can’t follow the very few rules of flying, you deserve to be banned from flying on any airline. You have no right to put a plane load of innocent peoples lives at risk because of your bad behavior. There is plenty of documentation in the form of videos to prove each and every occurrence.
Want to bet the problem will nearly take care of itself when real consequences are enforced? Do it!
Sue S says
Reinstate the use of Air Marshals who can subdue unruly passengers and restrain them until the flight gets to its original destination – so flights do not have to return or land early. Anyone needing to be restrained should then be arrested immediately plus pay a hefty fine. Also have a nation-wide no-fly list that all airlines can share. This is so far out of hand I’m afraid something tragic may happen if this isn’t brought under control.
Marsha L says
Hire Hulk Hogan to patrol the friendly skies !
Jim R. says
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
People like this should automatically be issued a full scale psychological evaluation, by the courts.
Be sure it’s going to get much worse, the more you try to impose any governmental will on people’s individual freedoms.
Starla G says
I just don’t understand, even if there is a reason to be upset, why you would just attack a flight attendant. Is there no common sense or goodness left? Every time I hear one of these stories it just blows my mind. Maybe it’s because I work in customer service too but you don’t shoot the messenger.😥
TomK says
I’ve been flying for business for 40+ years. I am 100% OK with banning an unruly, aggressive passenger for LIFE from ALL airlines. Period. The sooner we get these idiots grounded the safer the skies will be for all of us.
Joanb says
Aloha. You think this is new? Flight Attendants are attacked all the time. It’s just everyone has their phones out now. Travel nowadays is not easy. You have Covid restrictions, changes in schedules and personal issues. It’s a recipe for airplane inflight disaster.
John C says
I would just love to come out of LE retirement and work as an Air Marshall, heck I’d do it for free to be able to put some restraint bracelets on these people. And then watch there expression when they find out what their FAA fine will now be. Make my day. People are all about “ME” these days.
BARBARA M says
This world has become such a sad sad place. Anger seems to now be an acceptable social emotion. Past generations must be rolling over in their graves.
bob d says
Please, if you are banned from one airline you should be banned from all. bob d
Diana says
I feel sorry for people having to police mask wearing and vax proofs. The nuts are out in full force, and they are getting brutalized for nothing more than doing what their employers asked. I am almost afraid to fly now, worrying who else will be on the plane, if they are vasked, if they will mask, if there will be violence.