Jarring new video obtained by CBS News shows an unruly passenger punching a Southwest flight attendant last weekend, causing her to lose two teeth and suffer other injuries to her face.
The incident happened Sunday morning on a flight from Sacramento to San Diego. The woman, identified as 28-year-old Vyvianna Quinonez of Antelope, has since been charged with felony battery.
"The passenger repeatedly ignored standard inflight instructions and became verbally and physically abusive upon landing," Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz told The Associated Press.
Quinonez reportedly punched the flight attendant after she was asked to put on her seatbelt during the flight multiple times.
The victim has not been named.
In an open letter to Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, TWU Local 556 President Lyn Montgomery explained that there have been “477 passenger misconduct incidents" on Southwest Airlines flights. She added: "This unprecedented number of incidents has reached an intolerable level, with passenger non-compliance events also becoming more aggressive in nature."
Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced fines in five separate incidents relating to disciplinary issues with airline passengers.
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