I write to you today because we cannot tolerate our beloved cohearts (Southwest's word for co-workers) being abused in such a manner, and because I am asking for your help and leadership in ending these travesties.''. The charge stemmed Dont ever assault ANYONE, ANYWHERE, unless you want to go to jail. Attacks on flight crew members, who perform vital jobs to ensure passenger safety, will not be tolerated, US Attorney Randy Grossman said in a statement. Vyvianna M. Quinonez was charged in federal court with two felony counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and interference with flight crew members and attendants. Southwest Airlines said in a statement to CBS News, Our reports indicate that a passenger physically assaulted a flight attendant upon landing on Flight #700 from Sacramento to San Diego Sunday morning. 'All my heart wanted to do was cry, scream and break': MSU shooting survivor, 19, shares gut-wrenching diary entry on day gunman Anthony McRae killed three, Another close call! However, testimony exists that the flight attendant was an aggressor. Vyvianna Quinonez, the woman who made headlines around the world last year for brutally assaulting a Southwest Airlines flight attendant is now facing an extended A California woman who punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in the face during a flight, breaking her teeth, has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. But dear @flysas , next time if I a, Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac, Another room with a beautiful view #hyattregenc, Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i, From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut, @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se, View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran. If the flight attendant really had attacked a poor innocent passenger, witnesses would be lined up out the door to testify. . We dont know all the facts, but Ill trust the account of a disinterested 3d party over either SWA or the defendants account. . Speaking of a lack of education. We need more women from the equal rights brigade to go volunteer for tasks like these. Typical. Not only did she punch a flight in not sure if the link will work, but this has the witness saying the same thing (story from May 26). She admitted assaulting the flight attendant, who suffered two broken teeth and needed three stitches, after the worker told her to put on her seat belt, stow her tray table and wear her mask correctly during the flight's final descent, the release said. But physical assault: no. You said it. For one thing, it would never have made it to federal court if federal prosecutors had not found lots of cold, hard, substantiated evidence against Quinonez. Powered by. Have a question about Government Services? Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Violence on aircraft endangers the lives of all onboard, said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. Vyvianna Quinonez, 29, was also ordered by a federal judge on Tuesday to pay some $33,000 in restitution and fines and was banned from flying for three years upon her release from a federal lockup. The FAA made good on that threat Wednesday, announcing hefty fines for violations ranging from physical violence to an instance where a passenger threw trash at a flight staffer and stole cookies from a fellow passenger. . Many can argue I harbor my pessimistic attitude because I fly AA and I wouldnt disagree with that but the only decent FAs I see anymore are on delta or international carriers. A California woman who punched a flight attendant in the face during a flight, breaking her teeth, pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge, authorities said. The airline said the passenger ignored instructions from the flight She obviously has a drinking problem and that is the root of most of the incidents weve seen on planes over the past 10+ years. New video released: Altercation between passenger & Southwest flight attendant on plane to San Diego. Like it or not, those are the rules and she is in charge. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. If your body is being physically attacked, you have a right to defend yourself. And, she is charged in state court as well. Southwest passenger Vyvianna Quinonezwas banned from flying with the airline after she allegedly struck a flight attendant. This unprecedented number of incidents has reached an intolerable level, with passenger non-compliance events also becoming more aggressive in nature, Lyn Montgomery, a spokesperson from the union, told CBS News. Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -, One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure, Next stop ARN! JetBlue pilot forced to take 'evasive action' after an aircraft crossed the runway when it was preparing to land in Boston, FBI director agrees with Energy Department report that COVID 'most likely' leaked from Wuhan lab and claims China is 'thwarting and obfuscating' U.S. investigations into the virus, Harry and Meghan break cover for night out at LA private club as unseen Colbert footage shows duke joking about reincarnation and finding 'freedom and happiness', Twitter is DOWN: App crashes for thousands of frustrated users around the world - just DAYS after Elon Musk laid off another 200 employees, The best seat in the house! While the 'unruly passenger trend' has declined in the past week, the agency said Tuesday in a tweet prior to its announcement, the number of incidents is 'still too high.' Quinonez could also face federal charges as a result of the incident. Yes, a totally out of proportion response to any aggression on F.A.s end. Honestly, how many people visit this site who fly SW? The attack was recorded by another passenger. And bull crap on her witness, Some people just want to get involved in a high profile case. Now its 15 months. Southwest's flight attendants union, Transport Workers Union Local 556, was the first to report the altercation to Southwest CEO Gary Kelly wrote USA Today. The cut required four stitches, according to the filing. Will likely violate parole over and over again. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Very rude, about the way she handled anything., Stidham disputed the other passengers account. Wow. Her video begins with a woman seated next to Quinonez telling the flight attendant, "We are gonna sue you." Fax: (619) 546-0720 She has studied at Sierra College and California State University-Sacramento, according to her LinkedIn profile. Just no. I am so excited tha, I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair. Obviously Quinonez doesnt like obeying the law as she got a DUI a week after the airline incident. This is why federal prosecutors are widely regarded as some of the toughest in the nation and have a reputation for prosecuting cases with extreme tenacity. She was in no danger at all. Thanks for contacting us. That was on January 7, 2022. Other passengers then rushed to restrain her. Vyvianna Quinonez, who is accused of knocking out some of the flight attendant's teeth, was charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and interfering with flight crew members. We use cookies. That needs to be determined, although, everyone should have zero confidence in the court system/rubber stamp juries to adjudicate anything fairly and justly. And I dont believe for a minute that a flight attendant assault her. Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord. The federal mask mandate is set to remain in effect until at least January 18. Lock her up!. She has testified that the Qunonez yelled, Get off me. A California woman who allegedly punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in the face and knocked out two of her teeth, as well as pulled her hair, has been charged with felony assault in federal court. Woman Who Punched Southwest Airlines Flight Attendant Faces Only Four Months In Jail, United Airlines Upgrading Premium Cabin Meal Service To India, Israel, The Most Obvious Theme Park Doesnt Exist, In Defense Of Transportation Secretary Buttigieg. Official websites use .gov ''During the altercation, the passenger struck the flight attendant, causing serious injuries.''. Its an interesting new twist, though Im not sure it is anything more than an eleventh hour attempt to avoid the slammer. The U.S. Attorneys Office unsealed a complaint today charging San Diego resident Edgar Lopez Feliciano with maintaining a steroid distribution center in Spring Valley. Vyvianna Quinonez is accused of assaulting a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, knocking out two of her teeth. Quinonez was arrested by local police after the plane landed at the San Diego airport. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. The California woman had pleaded guilty to interfering with a flight crew last year. Two people were detained near the scene, deputies said. Port of San Diego Harbor Police escorted Quinonez off the plane before it taxied to the gate. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. According to the agency, the March incident involving the female passenger transpired after the woman 'verbally abused flight attendants after she realized her assigned seat would not recline' and proceeded to refuse to switch seats with multiple passengers when prompted by attendants attempting to accommodate her. The FAA does not identify passengers against which it has sought penalties. Vyvianna Quinonez, 29, will remain on supervised release for three years and attend anger management classes for the May 23, 2021, assault aboard a flight from Sacramento to San Diego, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California said in a release. Quinonez is scheduled to appear in San Diego County court on September 30, CBS 8 reports. Her original agreement was for 4 months. Yep -a perfect candidate to throw the book at her. The woman allegedly hit the Southwest employee, cutting her face and knocking out two of her teeth. The incident comes after the FAA released a statement about fines in multiple cases involving aggression toward flight crews. Your honor, I held up my fist to keep the flight attendant away but she viciously headbutted my fist, knocking out her own teeth. One Southwest Airlines Flight. She is a dishonest, morally corrupt person. Hoping that they will give her jail time and put her on the No Fly list., Stidham added, While the flight attendant was staggering back with a bloody face, we were all told to stay in our seats while they brought in police to remove the unruly passenger., Another passenger, Taro Arai, wrote on Twitter, Can we go any further in the US? Heres anothers account from the same source: https://fox40.com/news/local-news/local-travelers-share-moments-before-flight-attendant-was-punched-on-southwest-flight/. That means keeping your seat belt on and staying in your seat, and it certainly means not attacking the flight crew. Quinonez faces a maximum fine of $250,000 and up to 20 years in prison. "Please dont mistake my lack of communication for my lack of work behind the scenes to ensure first and foremost, our flight attendant received immediate aid and ongoing care. What to expect in Northern California storm, Low-income Californians could get $27K to buy an EV. Typical large and in charge female bully, used to getting her way by being obnoxious, with physical force . Of the 5,981 incidents recorded by the FAA last year, 4,290 were mask related. Perhaps they are nothing but a pathetic last-ditch attempt to fight jail time, but if true, do provide better context of what happened. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. I dont blame people for fighting back. She remains locked up. In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E, Nearly five years ago, I took a break from I, United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. "This pastweekend, one of our flight attendants was seriously assaulted, resulting in injuries tothe face and a loss of two teeth,'' Lyn Montgomery, president of TWU Local 556 said in the letter. And she shouldve just stayed there in her back cubby, Manner told Fox 40. "I have also been gathering the necessary information to ensure this incident was appropriately reported a step that must be taken before I can share accurate information with you all, and its important to me that you have the facts. These airline workers are totally burnt out by obnoxious self-entitled passengers who now seem to make up a growing number of Americans flying. During the flights final descent, Quinonez failed to comply with federal rules and regulations. Quinonez claims she was acting in self-defense against an overly-aggressive flight attendant, who physically grabbed her before she even laid a hand on her. Law enforcement officials were requested to meet the flight upon arrival, and the passenger was taken into custody., Susan Marie Stidham, who was a passenger on the flight, wrote on Facebook, the attack occurred, simply because she was asked to put her seatbelt back on. Not only did she punch a flight in the attendant in the face and grab her by the hair, but broke three teeth, injured her eye, and bruised her arm. The Federal Aviation Administration said last month its zero-tolerance policy for dealing with unruly passengers will become permanent. A locked padlock The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. As Quinonez faces criminal charges which may land her not just a hefty fine, but jail time, the new claims are an interesting twist. Prosecutors said she faces a maximum Due to the assault, the flight attendant was not able to perform her normal safety and customer service duties. San Diego, California 92101-8807, Telephone: (619) 557-5610 Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Many Miracles. https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/fight-southwest-plane-san-diego-flight-attendant-punch-lost-teeth-arrest-mask-dispute/509-21050218-6f19-4428-b1c0-e70ea42fe515, The mask incident wasnt even with the person that is being charged, it was with the passenger in the aisle, based on what the witness is saying, Note the date of the report, May 25th. She also needed stitches for a cut under her eye, according to Quinonezs plea deal. The majority of FAs are lazy at best and incompetent at worse . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site is for entertainment purposes only. Quit touching me. Federal charges carry penalties that are far usually far more severe than those levied by state courts. There she can try her usual bullying BS . Many of the situations with cops arresting people should be avoided in the first place if cops stopped enforcing liberal laws that criminalize personal freedom (drug laws) and would not escalate in these video situations if cops didnt touch people and dont restrain people unnecessarily. Is California a better place to live? Its no surprise that there will be witnesses that think thats too harsh. On May 23, 2021, Quinonez was asked to buckle her seat belt, stow her tray table, and put on her facemask properly as a Southwest flight from Sacramento approached San Diego. Federal Office Building If you believe you are a victim or a witness to a crime occurring aboard an aircraft, immediately report it to the FBI (https://www.fbi.gov/tips or call 1-800-CALL-FBI). Vyvianna Quinonez, 28, was arrested Sunday morning at the culmination of a flight from Sacramento to San Diego International Airport. > Read More: Video: Southwest Flight Attendant Brutally Attacked By Passenger. The Federal Aviation Administration reported a similar spike, many of the incidents tied to mask compliance. Vyvianna Quinonez was arrested in May after being accused of attacking the Southwest Airlines employee on a flight from Sacramento to San Diego. Sonya Lacore, Southwest's vice Quit touching me. An official website of the United States government. What kind of person thinks that the FA had it coming simply because she was doing her job?, She added, All I know, is that whether you like the rules or not, you have to follow instructions of the flight crew. San Diego Harbor Police arrested Vyvianna Quinonez, 28, and charged her with felony battery. Brian Hsu, 20, (pictured) allegedly punched a female American Airlines staffer, whose identity has not been released, twice in the face in October. Likely, this FA didnt deserve her punishment but I can guarantee shell think twice before acting like that again. Vyvianna Quinonez is a California woman who is accused of assaulting a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, knocking out two of her teeth, on a plane headed from Sacramento to San Diego. After the incident, the head of American Airlines, Doug Parker, called the attack 'one of the worst displays of unruly behavior we've ever witnessed.'. Witness video provided to The Sacramento Bee showed Quinonez punching the female flight attendant in the side of the face. I confess that I have defied a FA who insisted that my bag has to be checked but I was able to slip it in a bin very quickly and easily. Video shows a woman being escorted off a plane after a flight attendant was assaulted on a flight to San Diego on Sunday. She remains in the custody of the Marshals Service pending transport back to San Diego, where she will remain in detention. Update: California woman Vyvianna Quinonez has admitted attacking a Southwest flight attendant earlier this year and is likely to face prison timeplus a long America is supposed to be a free country and a democracy but common sense is that we do salute and snap to attention when a FA, even if unreasonable, makes a demand. ThePort of San Diego Harbor Police Department said Quinonez was charged with battery causing serious bodily injury, a felony. 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