A woman from Texas has been charged with interfering with aircraft operations after she allegedly assaulted a flight attendant over a masking issue during a United Airlines flight from Alaska to San Francisco.
Throughout the flight, announcements and notices were made to passengers about the airline’s masking policies, according to a press release issued Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California.
About three and a half hour hours into the June 29 flight, a flight attendant checking for trash and mask compliance noticed Debby Dutton’s husband’s face mask had slipped off while he was asleep. The flight attendant tapped him on the shoulder using two fingers, to wake him up, and asked him to fix his mask.
Even though he did, Dutton, 50, became irate, standing up and shouting at the flight attendant. She then pursued the flight attendant and pushed her down the aisle multiple times, still yelling.
She stopped and returned to her seat only after he husband asked her to. According to the release, the flight attendant described the assault as painful and forceful, with the pushes bruising their right bicep. They sought medical attention after the flight.
This is just the latest in a string of rude and violent behavior flight attendants have been dealing with from passengers, with several reports of flight attendants enduring physical violence. The issue appears to have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
When the plane landed at San Francisco International Airport, police arrived to investigate the incident, interviewing passengers.
On Friday, though out of custody, Dutton initially appeared before a United States Magistrate in Houston, Texas. Her next appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, November 16, in Houston federal court.
If convicted, Dutton could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine.
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