11.01.21 – Flight Attendant Assaults

Monday, November 1, 2021

Flight Attendant Assaults

Last week, one of our Flight Attendants on Flight 976 from JFK-SNA was physically assaulted and injured. Our focus continues to be on the well-being of the injured Flight Attendant and the rest of the Flight Attendant crew as they deal with processing the events.

This morning, the passenger was arrested by the FBI in Irvine, California. He was charged by Criminal Complaint in the District of Colorado with Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants and Assault in the Special Aircraft Jurisdiction of the United States. The passenger was scheduled to appear in the United States District Court for the Central District of California today.

Your mental and physical well-being is of the utmost importance. If you are physically assaulted by a passenger and do not feel mentally or physically well enough to continue, per JCBA 34.H.11, you and your crew are entitled to be removed from your trip with pay. ​You are under absolutely no obligation to continue on your trip. If you choose to press charges against the passenger, APFA and the company will support you during every stage of the process.

APFA will continue to collaborate with other Flight Attendant and Customer Service Agent Unions, the Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and Congress to ensure these offenders are prosecuted to the full extent of the law with appropriate fines, criminal penalties, and applicable flying bans. These offenders must be held accountable for their actions.

In Solidarity,