Scandal on the plane over the mask ended in a fight and a demonstration of the buttocks

A 29-year-old man from Galway, Ireland, has been charged following his disorderly conduct on board a flight from Dublin to John F. Kennedy International Airport on 7 January. Talks about it The Times New York.

Passenger who refused to wear a mask on a flight from Dublin to New York, lowered his pants and exposed his buttocks. He threw the can at the passenger, put the cap on the captain's head and told him, "Don't touch me." Details of the case, opened on January 21, were reported by prosecutors.

Following a Delta flight from Dublin to John F. Kennedy International Airport on January 7, passenger Shane McInerney was charged with assault and intimidation of a crew member. According to prosecutors, if found guilty, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

On January 22, McInerney's lawyer Benjamin Yaster declined to comment on the allegations. McInerney first appeared in federal court in Brooklyn January 14th. He was released on $20 bail.

On the subject: Flight from New Jersey to Tel Aviv turned back mid-flight due to passengers grabbing business class seats

This kind of unruly and sometimes violent behavior has been on the rise on planes since the start of the pandemic. Many of the riots involved passengers who refused to wear masks as required by the federal government.

On January 19, an American Airlines flight from Miami to London was diverted about an hour into the flight due to a passenger refusing to wear a mask.

In October, a passenger was accused of punching an American Airlines flight attendant in the nose. After an argument about the mask and a blow, she suffered a concussion.

In December, a California woman pleaded guilty to hitting a flight attendant on a Southwest Airlines flight. As a result, the flight attendant's face was bloodied and three teeth were knocked out.

Hooliganism continued

In a statement filed with the court, the FBI agent said that McInerney refused to wear a mask. He was asked to do this "dozens" of times during the eight-hour flight. He threw an empty drink can, hitting another passenger in the head. He then kicked the seat in front of him, disturbing the passenger.

He later moved from his seat in economy class to first class and complained to the flight attendant about the food. As he was escorted back to his seat, McInerney "dropped his pants and underwear and exposed his buttocks" in front of a flight attendant and passengers seated nearby.

About two hours into the flight, the captain spoke to McInerney during a break, the statement said. During the conversation, McInerney twice took off his cap, put it on the captain's head, and then took it off again.

He also put his fist to the captain's face and said, "Don't touch me," the statement said.

At least one of the passengers found McInerney's behavior "intimidating". Flight crew members considered diverting the aircraft to another airport in order to remove McInerney from the aircraft.

The flight to New York continued. When the plane made its last approach to the airport, all passengers sat in their seats with their seat belts fastened. McInerney again disobeyed the flight attendants' orders. He got up, walked into the aisle and "refused to sit down."