Woman Kisses Flight Attendant, Then Throws a Punch

Every Friday, FlyerTalk looks back at the week’s most charming individuals. While there are always plenty of contenders for our Worst Passenger of the Week award, only one lucky flyer can take home the glory.

The Runner-up — The Man Who Accused His Accusers

It seems like flight diversions and emergency landings caused by misbehaving passengers are becoming commonplace. Indigo Airlines’ description of why a Dabolim Goa International Airport (GOI)-bound flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) was forced to make an emergency landing made the incident sound commonplace indeed. Indigo reported that the flight was forced to divert to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD) because Rahul Grover, 34, “misbehaved with the cabin crew.”

Misbehaving with the crew seems like an accurate description of Grover’s alleged actions on the flight.

“The passenger used foul language and made inappropriate gestures,” an Indigo spokesperson told The Times of India. “He did not follow instructions by the staff or Captain.”

Grover, who was traveling to Goa for vacation, is also alleged to have made several attempts to enter the cockpit and refused to take his seat despite repeated warnings from both the captain and purser. Grover was taken into custody when the plane landed at (AMD) and was released on bail pending a court hearing on charges related to his inflight misbehavior.

Grover was arrested despite an ironclad defense against the charges levied against him, telling police that he had not misbehaved, but it was the airline crew who had misbehaved with him.

The Winner — A Kiss With a Fist is Better Than None

An out-of-control passenger whose antics caused an American Airlines flight from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to divert to Indianapolis International Airport (IND) is accused of behavior more often seen from cartoon characters than a Worst Passenger of the Week candidate. The woman identified as Daniela Velez-Reyes was described as “disoriented” throughout the flight.

In fact, Velez-Reyes was reportedly so disoriented that when a member of the cabin crew tried to calm her outrageous behavior, the out-of control flyer couldn’t decide whether to kiss the flight attendant or sock her in the face. She ended up doing both.

First reportedly grabbing the flight attendant’s face, kissing her and then punching her in the kisser. All this after the flight attendant confronted Velez-Reyes about kicking another passenger’s seat and then punching him in the face after he complained.

Of course, in Looney Tunes Cartoons, when Bugs Bunny plants a kiss on Elmer Fudd’s lips before smacking his nemesis across the face and dropping a piano on his head, it is hysterically funny, but these antics are best left to the professionals. Velez-Reyes’ Looney Tunes behavior resulted in her being escorted from the plane in handcuffs.

Velez-Reyes’ bizarre performance didn’t end when police boarded the aircraft at IND. A video posted by a fellow passenger shows Velez-Reyes screaming at airport police officers as she is led off the plane. She now faces federal charges related to the alleged assaults that caused the diversion in the first place and local charges in Indianapolis for reportedly kicking an officer who responded to the pilot’s distress call.