NEW YORK (AP) — An Irish man on a Delta flight from Dublin to New York refused to wear a mask, threw a can that hit another passenger, and pulled down his pants and exposed his buttocks to a flight attendant, according to a federal complaint unsealed Friday.
According to the complaint, filed in the Eastern District of New York, Shane McInerney, 29, of Galway, “created … numerous disturbances” on the Jan. 7 Delta flight that was headed to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
“During the approximately eight-hour flight, the defendant repeatedly refused to wear a face mask despite being asked dozens of times by flight crew personnel,” the complaint said.
McInerney has been charged with interfering with flight crew, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. He made a court appearance last week and was released on bond. His attorney, Benjamin Yaster, declined to comment.
In a statement, Delta said the airline “has zero tolerance for unruly behavior at our airports and aboard our aircraft as nothing is more important that the safety of our people and our customers.”
According to the complaint, McInerney at one point walked from his seat to complain to an attendant about the food, and on his way back pulled his pants down, mooning the attendant and nearby passengers.
The pilot attempted to speak with McInerney, the complaint said, during which point the passenger put his cap on the pilot’s head. He also told the pilot not to touch him and put his fist near the pilot’s face, according to the complaint.
As the plane was in its final approach to JFK, McInerney refused to stay in his seat, instead standing in the aisle, the complaint said. Authorities took him into custody upon landing.
Accounts of unruly passenger behavior have risen sharply, with airlines saying there were more than 5,000 episodes last year. The majority of them, over 3,600 cases, included people allegedly refusing to wear face masks as required.
20 years for not wearing a mask
Zero years for looting, theft, arson when attending a BLM protest.
Some people get very silly when they are on an airplane.
Something doesn’t seem right here.
This guy was totally obnoxious, according to the story, but 20 years in jail seems quite excessive.
If only he was Jewish we’d have another chance to scream “Antisemitism!”
Its time for clear and consistent rules and consequences of noncompliance/aggressive behavior for air travel (or any travel for that matter).
People burned down cities and killed cops, no charges filed. Some guy decides that since the government already said outright that cloth masks are worthless, he would not participate in the farce. That’s what it is folks. THEATER. And let’s treat him like a terrorist for saying what all those idiots are pretending not to believe.
He’s a pig…but 20 years? Really?
As usual, Delta is showing its true anti-Semitism.
he needs a mental institution NOT jail time.