An American Airlines passenger who tried to open a cabin door by kicking and spitting at flight attendants and fellow passengers before being duct-taped to his seat has been sued for $81,950 by the FAA — the agency's largest fine for misconduct ever.
According to the lawsuit filed on June 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, passenger Heather Wells, 34, of San Antonio, was traveling in first class from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina on July 7, 2021, when approximately an hour into the flight, she ordered a Jack Daniel's and became excited and said she wanted to get off the plane.
According to the lawsuit, Wells began running toward the back of the plane, dropped to her knees in the aisle and “buzzed passengers incoherently before crawling back toward the main cabin.”
When flight attendants responded, Wells “became verbally abusive and told the flight attendant she would 'hurt him' if she did not get out of the way,” according to court documents.
She then pushed him towards the front of the plane and lunged for the cabin door, attempting to grab it, “all the while screaming and yelling foul language.”
According to the lawsuit, two flight attendants and a passenger then attempted to physically restrain Wells, but Wells struck one of the flight attendants multiple times in the head.
Officers were able to restrain Wells with duct tape and flex cuffs and place him in a chair, but Wells continued to “kick, spit, bite and attempt to headbutt” officers, necessitating further restraints, including with tape around his mouth, the lawsuit states.
According to the lawsuit, the captain decided the quickest solution would be to land in Charlotte, and officers waited for the plane to arrive.
Wells continued his violent behaviour after officers boarded the plane, smashing the seat in front of him before being sedated and removed from the plane.
Wells told San Antonio's KENS 5 that she had been struggling with mental health issues and apologized in a statement.
“I know what I did was unreasonable and I was not in any real external danger, but at the time I truly feared for my life,” the statement read. “Words cannot express how sorry I am for the fear I caused and those I hurt.”
Wells, who could not be reached for comment, told the news station he was in a hospital for observation after being removed from the plane and does not have an attorney.
Court documents did not name an attorney, and American Airlines did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. It is unclear whether Wells has been formally charged.
According to the lawsuit, Wells must pay civil penalties totaling $81,950, including $45,000 for assaulting flight attendants and passengers, $27,950 for attempting to open the cabin door and $9,000 for obstructing flight attendants in the performance of their duties.
The fines were proposed by the FAA for 2022, and Wells had 30 days to respond.
These measures come on the heels of a comprehensive zero tolerance policy targeted at a sharp rise in reports of aggressive behaviour by passengers.
According to FAA data, such incidents have dropped significantly: In 2021, there were nearly 6,000 reports of passengers breaking the rules, falling to 2,455 in 2022 and 2,075 in 2023. So far this year, 885 cases have been reported.
But in a statement this week, the department warned against inappropriate behavior as summer travel gets underway.