Frontier Airlines passenger taped to seat after allegedly groping and attacking flight attendants

A Frontier Airlines passenger was glued to his seat after allegedly groping two flight attendants and punching another in the face on a flight to Miami from Philadelphia last week, according to a police report.

The passenger, Maxwell Berry, 22, of Norwalk, Ohio, had finished two drinks and was ordering another when he allegedly brushed his empty mug against the “flight attendant’s back inappropriately,” the report said. of the Miami-Dade Police Department on the July 31 Flight. Berry then allegedly groped the breasts of two flight attendants, who sought help from a third cabin crew member, according to the report. Berry then allegedly hit this flight attendant in the face “with a closed fist”.

Berry could not immediately be reached for comment.

“A fight ensued,” the report said. The third flight attendant and “nearby passengers” restrained Berry “and had to tie him to the seat and secure him with a seat belt extender” for the remainder of the flight, according to the police report. Berry was arrested at Miami International Airport.

The incident marks the latest report of unruly and physically violent behavior by passengers on planes in recent months. The Federal Aviation Administration said it has received 3,715 reports of unruly passenger behavior since the start of the year, nearly 75% of which were from passengers who refused to comply with the federal mask mandate.

The FAA receives about 100 reports per week, a rate that has remained stable over the past few weeks, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Incidents of violence and rising reports of unruly passengers have alarmed flight attendant unions, who have called on airlines and federal prosecutors to do more to stop the behavior.

An Association of Flight Attendants-CWA survey released last week found that 84% of cabin crew have encountered unruly travelers this year and 17% have suffered a physical incident.

“The situation at Frontier this weekend is one of the worst examples,” AFA International President Sara Nelson said in a written statement. “When he refused to comply after several attempts at de-escalation, the crew were forced to restrain the passenger with the tools they had on board. We are supporting the crew.”

Frontier said crew members who worked on the Saturday flight are on paid leave pending an investigation

“Frontier Airlines maintains the highest value, respect, concern and support for all of our flight attendants, including those who have been assaulted on this flight,” the carrier said in a statement.