According to a criminal complaint filed on September 1, Southwest Airlines passenger, Vyvianna Quiñónez who was accused of punching a flight attendant, now faces two felony charges.
Quiñónez, accused of rocking a flight attendant’s teeth out, was charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and interfering with flight crew members.
Video obtained by CBS News shows the moment a Southwest Airlines flight attendant was punched by a passenger after asking her to keep her seat belt fastened during a flight from Sacramento to San Diego Sunday. https://t.co/gQusevodYC pic.twitter.com/oOYvPdwCFj
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 27, 2021
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According to CBS News, three of the flight attendant’s teeth got chipped, and two were damaged so badly they required crowns. Besides this, the flight attendant was cut under her left eye and had to get four stitches.
As previously reported, the incident took place after Quiñónez violated federal regulations on a Sacramento to San Diego flight, when she unbuckled her seat belt and pulled her tray table down.
The flight attendant also reportedly had asked the woman to wear her face mask properly. Quiñónez decided to take her phone out and start recording, which caused the attendant to question her. She then pushed the flight attendant, punched her, and pulled her hair.
The Federal Aviation Administration has decided to take action after the number of unruly airline passengers has risen significantly.
Since the beginning of 2021, they have received about 4,100 reports of disorderly passengers. Although the federal mask mandate is now extended until 2022, the FAA received nearly 3,000 reports of passengers who were adamant about not wearing a mask.
The FAA is currently investigating 727 incidents and has filed for civil penalties in 143 cases. The organization also requested $1 million in fines against passengers this year.
Despite this, passengers can appeal the civil fines, and local law enforcement can add criminal charges.
