A Delta Air Lines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles ended up making an unscheduled landing at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after a passenger allegedly slapped a female flight attendant’s bottom after she accidentally skipped him during the beverage service.
The incident occurred on May 9, but is only now coming to light after a Georgia Grand Jury charged the suspect, Cody James Maluck, with interference with flight crew members – a federal crime that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
Delta flight DL-800 departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport at around 7:50 am on May 9 for what should have been a five and a half hour cross country flight to Los Angeles.
Aboard the Airbus A321 aircraft, a female flight attendant, who has only been identified as P.L.L by law enforcement, had just wrapped up a buy-on-board service and was beginning the complimentary beverage service.
P.L.L was facing towards the rear of the aircraft and was slowly moving from row to row, asking the passengers what they wanted to drink. When she got to Maluck’s row, she thought he was sleeping, so she passed his seat and continued to serve passengers in the row behind him.
Without warning, she suddenly felt a forceful slap on her buttock. So forceful, in fact, that she told an FBI investigator that her whole body jolted forward. She spun around to find Maluck holding his hands in the air, before she exclaimed: “I didn’t do anything.”
The flight attendant immediately removed herself from Maluck’s presence and informed the lead crew member, who, in turn, told the pilots. The Captain then decided that it was “in the best interest of safety and security” to divert the flight to Atlanta.
Once on the ground, Maluck was removed from the plane by law enforcement and read his Miranda Rights before being interrogated. Maluck told investigators that he hadn’t been sleeping but had been wearing headphones so couldn’t hear the flight attendant when she asked if he wanted a beverage.
When she then skipped his row, Maluck admits to touching the flight attendant’s buttock area but denied slapping her.
Maluck also told investigators that it was “not his intention to harm or disrespect” the flight attendant and that he was simply trying to get her attention.
As of the date of his arraignment, Maluck remains in custody, awaiting trial.
The issue of passengers touching flight attendants went viral last month when the Washington Post published an article on the matter. According to the article, some flight attendants have handcrafted their own pin badges and signs imploring passengers not to touch or poke them.
On the other side of the fence are passengers innocently trying to get the attention of flight attendants, not realizing that their actions can be considered disrespectful and demeaning.
As a flight attendant, I’ve found the occasional poke or prod by passengers an occupational hazard. It’s annoying, but I understand that no harm is meant by it.
