Passenger punches flight attendant on the back of the head, faces 20 years in prison

Flight attendants always try to ensure that the passengers have a safe and comfortable flight. However there are many incidents which come into light where the passengers are seen behaving terribly with them. One such video has recently gone viral where a passenger was seen punching a flight attendant on the back of the head.

The incident occurred on American Airline Flight 377 from San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, to Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday. The passenger involved has been banned from traveling with American Airlines.

The man, Alexander Tung Cuu Le, 33, of Westminster, California, was charged with one count of interference with flight crew members on Thursday. He was detained by FBI agents after the plane landed. Le was charged Thursday in federal court in California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Video shared on social media shows Mr. Le in an orange, tropical print shirt suddenly run up and punch the flight attendant in the back of the head.

According to reports, about 20 minutes after takeoff on Wednesday when Mr. Le got up from his seat and grabbed a flight attendant by the shoulder, asking him for coffee. He then proceeded to the front of the plane and loitered near the first-class cabin before sitting down in an unoccupied row. A different flight attendant, approached Mr. Le and asked him to return to his seat. However, Mr. Le stood up and closed both of his fists as if he was preparing to fight. The male flight attendant confronted the man and asked, “Are you threatening me?” As the flight attendant turned and walked toward the front of the plane, Mr. Le charged towards him, throwing a punch at the back of the flight attendant’s head and then retreating to the back of the plane.

According to his fellow passengers, he was upset about not being allowed into the first class washroom.

He was restrained by the other passengers and flight attendants on the plane.

Watch the video here:

Violence in the air: a friend was travelling from Cabo to LAX, when a passenger hit a flight attendant for not letting use him the first class bathroom. He was later restrained by other passengers and arrested upon touchdown. The video shot was by Barrie Livingstone pic.twitter.com/PntVqWyWs9

— Saad Mohseni (@saadmohseni) September 22, 2022

The president of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, the union representing American’s 24,000 flight attendants, said the passenger had exhibited “dangerous, life-threatening behavior.”

“Thankfully, the crew and passengers subdued the passenger, and the flight landed safely,” said the union official, Julie Hedrick. “This violent behavior puts the safety of all passengers and crew in jeopardy and must stop.”