Several passengers grabbed at Ms. Quinonezs clothes to try to stop her. Should have received 5 years in jail for that. LITTLE ROCK -- A Texas woman who pleaded guilty to involvement in an altercation aboard a Southwest Airlines flight in which a flight attendant's jaw was broken was sentenced Thursday to five years on federal probation by a judge who questioned why the woman was not charged with a felony. The woman, Vyvianna M. Quinonez, 29, of Sacramento, will also have to pay nearly $26,000 in restitution and a $7,500 fine, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California. The passenger, Vyvianna Quinonez, allegedly punched and grabbed the hair of the female flight attendant, who lost two teeth and suffered other injuries to her face on the May 23 flight from Vyvianna Quinonez now faces at least 20 years in prison. A flight Health Southwest Airlines flight attendants are set to hold an informational picket Thursday. The passenger, Vyvianna Quinonez, allegedly punched and grabbed the hair of the female flight attendant, who lost two teeth and suffered other injuries to her face on the May 23 flight from Quinonez assaulted the flight attendant, chipping her teeth and wounding her under her eye. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. According to court documents, Ms. Quinonez sought a sentence of time served while prosecutors had requested four months in custody and six months in home confinement. A new video emerged showing the moment a Southwest Airlines passenger assaulted a flight attendant. Dao is making it rain at strip clubs around the globe. Following last years operational meltdown, Southwest Airlines is under fire once again, but this time the heat is coming from its own workforce. On May 23, 2021, near the end of a flight from Sacramento to San Diego, a flight attendant asked Ms. Quinonez to buckle her seatbelt, put up her tray table and wear her face mask properly, prosecutors said. We remain engaged in negotiations with TWU 556 and the National Mediation Board to achieve a new contract that rewards our flight attendants and allows us to continue attracting great talent.. 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Hilarious: Video of Hero Frontier Flight Attendant Remember the drunk punk flying from Philadelphia to Miami who groped flight attendants, swore his head off and punched another flight attendant? Vyvianna Quinonez now faces at least 20 years in prison. The NMB is a federal agency charged with supervisingnegotiations in the airline and rail industries as governed by the Railway Labor Act. They didnt listen to us.. The pattern followed pep rallies organized by the company to boost employee morale after a disastrous holiday season. Judge Todd W. Robinson of United States District Court also ordered Ms. Quinonez to be on supervised release for three years after completing her sentence, during which she will be barred from flying on any commercial aircraft. Its awesome. A fight onboard a flight from Sacramento to San Diego resulted in a flight attendant getting punched. Stay prepared. Violence on aircraft endangers the lives of all onboard, Randy Grossman, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of California, said in a statement on Friday. Attacks on flight crew members, who perform vital jobs to ensure passenger safety, will not be tolerated.. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The plea agreement said that the flight attendant suffered three chipped teeth, two of which needed crowns, along with bruises and a cut under her left eye that needed stitches. What happened on Flight 700 was absolutely horrific, wrote Sonya Lacore, a vice president at Southwest. Early next week, the union intends to present its proposals for wage improvements, including boarding pay, to the company. If you watched the video you would see that someone did come to the help of the flight attendant in the few seconds it took to get out of his seat. Required. On top of that, the flight attendant had bruises and a cut under her left eye that required stitches. Bravo to the man for saving the flight attendant. Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving tandem clicks with joint 40-point displays in Mavs win vs. 76ers, Judge bungled ruling in Sidney Powell disciplinary case, Dallas Cowboys focused on adding another dynamic offensive weapon, The Cowboys are closer than you think to a total makeover at running back. In hindsight, we did not have enough winter operational resilience.. And America wonders what is wrong in its society. The airline told Newsweek at the time that the pilot has been placed on leave while an internal investigation is underway and pending the results of charges filed with local authorities. He vocalized that a fix was coming to the carriers crew scheduling software that same week. It happened very quickly. According to court records, on Jan. 9, 2021, Little Rock police responded to the Little Rock National Airport after being notified of an unruly passenger onboard a domestic flight. This picket is the last of three protests organized across the country. Over a year after the incident took place, the passenger has finally been sentenced this past week by a federal judge in San Diego. Arai took a photograph moments after the assault that shows the woman who allegedlythrew the punch and the frazzled flight attendant bleeding from her face, I would be on the floor like that if I get hit like that, Arai told FOX40. Business Now, she must pay for her actions by serving 15 months in federal prison. TWU Local 556 is not the first workers organization to speak up after last years disaster. Fortunately weve seen a significant decrease in unruly passenger behavior since the mask mandate ended, so hopefully that continues. It is up to the NMB to set the time and location of negotiations. The Associated Press. In the last quarter, American Airlines reported a net income of $127 million. A Southwest Airlines employee was hospitalized after being punched by a passenger during the boarding process for a flight at Dallas airport, the airline said. Three years minimum, $100K in restitution, $100K fine sounds about right. The worst part is that all of this happened simply because the flight attendant was trying to get the passenger to comply with regulations. Creating a modern reserve system that meets the needs of both the operation and employees and ending the unsafe practice of putting flight attendants on 24-hour on-call shifts. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. today, March 2, off-duty flight attendants represented by the TWU Local 556 union organized an informational picket outside Dallas Love Field airport, demanding improvement of working conditions as well as a modernization of the airlines system. In a letter dated May 18 and addressed to Judge Robinson, a Southwest representative said that the company wanted the sentence to serve as a deterrent to unruly and violent behavior. Vyvianna M. Quinonez was sentenced to 15 months in federal custody on Friday. Informational picketing is common during times of contract negotiations, and Southwest respects our flight attendants right to conduct such events to express their viewpoints, said Adam Carlisle, Southwests vice president of labor relations. Community Emirates Wants to Massively Expand its Operations in India By Adding 50,000 Seats Per Week. The assault came amid a surge of unruly and violent behavior by passengers who shoved, struck and yelled at flight attendants. Should have been banned from all flying on all airlines anywhere for life! What happened during the holidays is an outward reflection of what is internally wrong at Southwest Airlines, President and Lead Negotiator of TWU Local 556 Lyn Montgomery told KTNV. Airlines in 2021 reported more than 5,000 incidents of unruly passengers to the Federal Aviation Administration. ", "So your argument is this is a mental health event and the first time it happened?" [14] You have successfully joined our subscriber list. Ketia Daniel, founder of BHM Cleaning Co., is BestReviews cleaning expert. Jackson was arrested and is facing a count of aggravated assault. Your email address will not be published. What do you make of this Southwest passengers punishment? /s. Please reload the page and try again. Woman found dead with a gunshot wound in South Sacramento,. Inflation, oil and flights: Here's why airlines can pass on some additional costs to travelers, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy said the sentence should send a very strong message to air travelers the FBI will vigorously pursue anyone who assaults or interferes with flight crews.. Southwest passenger seen on video punching flight attendant Jackson boarded the flight at around 12.40 p.m. and argued with an airline employee at the back of the plane, a Dallas Police spokeswomen told Newsweek. He was exceptionally entertaining very helpful, made it fun. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, Woman charged with assault after punching Southwest flight attendant on May flight, Here's why airlines can pass on some additional costs to travelers. Its good to see passengers facing consequences for their abhorrent behavior. 1:11 PM on Mar 2, 2023 CST. We must stand strong together. JUST IN: The woman who punched a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in May has been officially charged in federal court with two felonies, including assault and interfering with a flight crew. The two men are then pulled apart by other Southwest Airlines employees. Arielle Jean Jackson, 32, was arrested after the incident at Dallas Love Field Airport on Saturday. The passenger who punched a Southwest flight attendant The incident in question involves a May 23, 2021, Southwest Airlines flight from Sacramento (SMF) to The flight attendant bumped into Hsu who was traveling in first class, the source said. Here's what to know if yours if one of them. We are out here to once again, implore Southwest Airlines to make it right and again, make it right by their people, including our flight attendants, and make it right to the flying public, Massoni said. Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Southwest Airlines flight attendants are set to hold an informational picket Thursday. 10 year ban on flying. This means that the approximately 16,000 flight attendants employed by the airline have been working without a new contract for four years. DEFINITELY!!! Yes! Southwest Airlines flight attendants pressed executives to fix the technology problems that contributed to the December meltdown The warning was issued after it emerged that some flight attendants were unofficially working to rule, providing minimum levels of service to customers, or even refusing to perform some duties altogether. WebTwenty-five years as a United Airlines flight attendant makes Nelson, a rising star in the contemporary labor movement, uniquely suited for labor organizing. We are fighting for our customers and our passengers who endure some of the same things we do when Southwest has one of these meltdowns, Michael Massoni, first vice president of TWU Local 556 told NBCDFW. Aquino-Washington, who appeared via video-conference from her home in El Paso, read from a prepared statement to say she was "deeply sorry for the actions I did before my diagnosis. During the flights final descent, the attendant had asked Quinonez to buckle her seat belt, stow her tray table, and put on her facemask properly. An American Airlines spokesperson said it welcomed the development. While the plane was preparing for landing, the flight attendant asked Quinonez to put her face mask on correctly, buckle her seat belt, and fold her tray table. The union is also pushing for improvements such as boarding pay and compensation during trips that are extended by delays. The passenger, Vyvianna Quinonez, allegedly punched and grabbed the hair of the female flight attendant, who lost two teeth and suffered other injuries to her face on the May 23 flight from In that case the sentencing happened a bit faster, as the flight only took place in early April of this year. document.getElementById( "ak_js" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); She should be banned for life and have her name shared with every major domestic and international carriers on the list. Fixing technology issues and other archaic systems that impact passengers and disproportionately impact frontline aviation workers, including flight attendants. Theres misbehavior, and then theres assaulting a flight attendant to the point that they have their teeth knocked out and require stitches. Southwest later sent an internal memo to employees reminding them to comply with company guidelines about their conduct. For a long time now weve been telling Southwest Airlines, they need to invest in its technology and they need to handle winter storms better., @SouthwestAir we are tired of saying "Im sorry," to our customers when we are faced with the same obstacles. Maybe I can convince a crew member to assault me. Earlier this month, a California woman said a Southwest flight attendant called police on her while she was flying with her biracial daughter after suspecting her of human trafficking. The incident in question involves a May 23, 2021, Southwest Airlines flight from Sacramento (SMF) to San Diego (SAN). A Southwest Airlines employee was hospitalized after being punched by a passenger during the boarding process for a flight at Dallas airport, the airline said. Wtf is wrong with you? The spokesperson declined to comment further about what prompted the argument. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Anyone can read what you share. The passenger accused of punching a Southwest Airlines flight attendant and breaking three of her teeth on a May flight now faces federal felony charges. It comes after an off-duty Southwest Airlines pilot was accused of assaulting a flight attendant in a California bar during a confrontation over masks. Video that quickly went viral on Twitter shows a man walking up to a gate agent and throwing a punch. They didn't let a flight delay spoil their big day. A passenger who assaulted a Southwest Airlines flight attendant by She said she had been depressed and humiliated because of the negative attention. Her chosen profession, after all, has been a master class in getting disorderly people to do what she wants, wrote The New York Times in a 2019 profile. The disruptions add more leverage to Southwest Airlines flight attendants contract negotiations, according to Massoni. "She's been doing well," Collins said. According to HuffPost, this determination was made by the federal judge in San Diego on Tuesday, who also ordered Quinonez to pay almost $26,000 in restitution as well as a $7,500 fine. They get 15 months in prison, but I give them 65% of the settlement! Mikuni sushi chef and owner Kotaro Arais fun-filled vacation to Miami got off to a bumpy start. Serious sentences are the only way to stop this. See more about our ethics policies here. WebFederal charges were filed Wednesday against a passenger accused of striking a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in the face during a May flight to San Diego. Lifestyle American Airlines flight attendants and the Fort Worth-based carrier are filing for federal help from National The assault happened a Southwest Airlines flight from Sacramento to San Diego in May Woman gets 15 months in prison for punching flight attendant in the face, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/01/us/flight-attendant-punched-sentencing.html. I was especially impressed when near our landing, he thanked all military and first responders for their service as he received a rousing round of applause from the passengers. Prison? Then Arai and other passengers on Southwest Airlines Flight 700 said they witnessed a violent dispute between a passenger and flight attendant on their way from Sacramento to San Diego. According to Man oh man is it much better to be a passenger assaulted by crew/local police than it is to be crew assaulted by a passenger. By not listening to us for over a decade now. When a Southwest Airlines flight attendant asked a passenger in the last row to prepare for landing on Sunday, the woman leaped to her feet, video shows. In a letter filed with the court on May 20, Ms. Quinonez apologized for assaulting the flight attendant. I was especially impressed when near our landing, he thanked all military and first responders for their service as he received a rousing round of applause from the passengers. In the beginning, they were not arguing. Genius! Whoops! According to NBCDFW, these negotiations have been ongoing since 2018, well before the pandemic added stress to the airline industry. Woman Who Punched Southwest Flight Attendant Gets 15 Months In Jail, The passenger who punched a Southwest flight attendant, Passenger faces 15 months in jail for assault, Pro-Life Ex-Southwest Flight Attendant Wins Lawsuit, Awarded $5.3 Million, Southwest Airlines Launching Miami Flights: Here Are The Routes, Passenger Kicked Off Flight Because Someone Misunderstood His Arabic, Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners, Wont be allowed to fly for three years while on supervised release, Must participate in an anger management class or counseling. WebFederal charges were filed Wednesday against a passenger accused of striking a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in the face during a May flight to San Diego. According to NBCDFW, the union is asking for better conditions not just for employees, but also for a better experience for their customers. . Witnesses said Aquino-Washington tossed food in a flight attendant's face, then repeatedly punched her in the face until another flight attendant was able to subdue her and put her in restraints until the plane could land. Review: EgyptAir Lounge Cairo Airport (CAI), Lufthansas Boeing 787 Business Class: Exactly As Expected. Southwest Airlines maintains a zero-tolerance policy regarding any type of harassment or assault and fully support our Employee as we cooperate with local authorities regarding this unacceptable incident.".