On May 24, 2021, Vynianna M Quinonez punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant during a fight and knocked out both of her teeth. She pleaded guilty to interfering with the employee, but was sentenced to 15 months in federal custody on Friday. She was also ordered to pay $25,981 in restitution, a fine of $7,500, and she will be banned from flying for three years while on probation and must attend anger management classes or to advice, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
Southwest Flight Attendant : California: Woman Prisoned 15 Months For Punch Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant
Last year, the 29-year-old Sacramento woman was flying on a Southwest Airlines flying from Sacramento to San Diego and during the final descent of the flight, the stewardess asked Quinonez to follow certain instructions such as buckling your seat belt, putting away your table top, and putting on your face mask properly. Instead of following her instructions, Quinonez started recording her on her smartphone and pushed her away, then she got up and punched the woman in the face and head with a clenched fist and grabbed her hair, leaving her with blood running down her face. The assault was recorded on another passenger's cellphone, which clearly shows Quinonez punching the attendant multiple times.
Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant
The fight stopped when a passenger jumped between the ladies to stop Quinonez. "Sit!" he shouted, blocking Quinonez from the bleeding stewardess. 'Don't you dare touch a stewardess like that' The stewardess was taken to hospital and treated for three chipped teeth, two of which needed crowns with bruises and one cut under left eye that required stitches
The incident was part of an escalation in unruly behavior by airline passengers amid the coronavirus pandemic and led the president of the flight attendants union to call for more federal air marshals on planes.
Airlines in 2021 reported more than 5,000 unruly passenger incidents to the Federal Aviation Administration. Most were passengers refusing to comply with the federal requirement for passengers to wear face masks when traveling on planes, but nearly three hundred intoxicated passengers were involved, the FAA said. According to the FAA, as of last week there have been 1,419 unruly passenger reports and 470 investigations opened so far in 2022.
The vice president of in-flight operations for Southwest said in a letter filed with the court that Quinonez "created an unsafe environment" on board the flight and scared employees into coming to work.
Southwest Airlines told Insider in a statement on Saturday that it maintains a "zero tolerance" for any type of assault or harassment of its employees. "This horrific incident was completely unacceptable, and the Court's sentencing decision further underscores that unruly behavior will not be tolerated," the statement read.
"Attacks on flight crew members, who perform vital duties to keep passengers safe, will not be tolerated," U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement after the sentencing.
"Today's sentence should send a very strong message to air travelers - the FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who assaults or interferes with flight crews," FBI Special Agent Stacey Moy said in the department's press release. of Justice.
Every job has its own dignity, whether it is the job of a sweeper or a policeman. We should respect every job, everyone in this world is trying their best to earn a living, so we should be grateful to them. If we don't have so many people in various sectors, our life will become much more difficult. So let's be grateful to them and follow the safety measures they announced for a happy and safe trip.