American Airlines Flight Diverted After Unruly Passenger Allegedly Kissed, Then Punched Attendant

(ABC News -- video in link autoplays)

(ABC News — video in link autoplays)

An American Airlines flight heading to Chicago from Miami had to make an unscheduled stop in Indianapolis on Monday afternoon, after a disoriented passenger became disruptive, reportedly kissing and then punching a flight attendant in the face.

“She was disoriented through the entire flight, not being able to find her seat, walking back and forth,” one passenger told ABC 7 in Chicago. “And when she came to the back, she was sweating profusely.”

Other witnesses said her behavior kept getting more and more out of hand as the flight went on, with passengers saying she was “screaming expletives” repeatedly in the back of the plane, and kicking the seat of the passenger in front of her.

When that person turned around to complain, a witness said she hit him. At that time, a flight attendant took the woman to the back of the plane, and tried to calm the woman down.

“She seemed really calm,” a fellow passenger said of the woman. “She was talking about her boyfriend. And then, all of a sudden, she grabbed [the flight attendant] by the face, kissed her and then punched her in the face.”

The pilot came over the intercom at that point and asked for help in restraining the passenger, asking for “large passengers” to assist.

She reportedly struggled on the ground while she was being restrained, and continued to curse and swear at those around her. An airport spokesman said she was removed from the aircraft upon landing in Indianapolis and taken into custody by airport police, before the county sheriff’s office picked her up and transported her to jail.

She was charged with battery with injury, battery without injury, battery of a public safety officer, criminal recklessness, disorderly conduct and disruption of the operation of an aircraft.

The plane continued on to Chicago and landed about 90 minutes late. Witnesses said the flight attendant needed an ice pack on her face, but was generally okay. Or as okay as you can be when someone punches you in the face.

AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT TO CHICAGO DIVERTED FOR UNRULY PASSENGER [ABC 7 News Chicago]

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