American Airlines Flight to Tokyo Ends Up Diverting to Anchorage Because Drunk Passenger Couldn’t Stop Using the Restroom

An American Airlines flight from New York JFK to Tokyo ended up making a frustrating diversion to Anchorage, Alaska, to drop off a Business Class passenger who couldn’t stop using the restroom, an affidavit filed by the FBI in an Alaska court alleges.

Robert Solesky was arrested on suspicion of interfering with flight crew members on American Airlines flight AA167 on January 5 – a crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment plus a fine of up to $250,000.

According to recently filed court documents, flight attendants onboard the Boeing 787-9 flying the nearly 11,000-mile route across the Great Circle from New York to Japan became increasingly concerned about Solesky’s behavior after he struggled to use the restroom because he was allegedly so intoxicated.

Around eight hours into the mammoth 14-hour flight, a flight attendant noticed Solesky struggling to get into the Business Class restroom situated at the front of the plane, just behind the cockpit.

Once inside the restroom, Solesky allegedly began “banging and kicking,” on the restroom door so loudly that the pilots could hear the commotion from inside the cockpit.

The flight attendant went to assist Solesky out of the restroom, but a criminal complaint alleges that Solesky “aggressively grabbed the lapels” of the flight attendant’s jacket.

Concerned about Solesky’s behavior, several flight attendants instructed him to remain seated and told him that the restroom at the front of the plane was now out of bounds.

“Despite these clear instructions, the subject [Solesky] refused to comply with the directions of flight crew members and made repeated attempts to access the front of the aircraft,” the complaint alleges.

At one point, the Captain even left the cockpit to speak with Solesky’s wife and warned her that if he couldn’t be controlled, then the flight would have to divert. Surprisingly, Solesky’s wife agreed that the flight did indeed need to divert so that he could be removed.

“Throughout the flight, the subject repeatedly continued to try and come to the front of the plane even after being to stay in his seat or use the rear lavatories,” the complaint continued. “When the subject repeatedly went to the front [of the plane], his family had to restrain him and try to bring him back to his seat.”

After repeatedly ignoring the commands of the flight crew, the Captain decided to divert the plane to Anchorage, making a U-turn over Alaska shortly before reaching the Bering Sea.

Thankfully, Solesky was quickly removed from the plane, and statements taken from the flight crew and witnesses before the flight was allowed to continue to Japan. In the end, the plane arrived in Tokyo a little less than three hours late.

Solesky’s wife told investigators that they were traveling with his cousins, but it became increasingly clear that they wouldn’t be able to control him for the remainder of the flight.

As well as potential criminal prosecution, Solesky also faces the threat of American Airlines seeking damages to cover the cost of the diversion.