More people feel comfortable flying post-pandemic than ever, as the demand for plane tickets these days is, in many cases, outpacing the supply.
But as more people are traveling, the number of disruptions on flights also rises, with reports of, for example, a woman on a United Airlines flight who began “rambling about being Balthazar and that his father was Dracula.” They then allegedly tried to stab a flight attendant with a broken metal spoon, and were restrained by several passengers.
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Experts generally attribute the rise in flight disruptions and violent altercations with airline employees to the psychological strain and unprocessed trauma of the pandemic and its ensuing isolation.
Now, news has come to light of an Alaska Airlines (ALK) flight from SFO to Chicago that was diverted to Kansas City last week.
Chloe M. DaSilva, 32, was taken into custody in Missouri last Friday, reports SFIST, “after allegedly making threats and causing a disturbance on a redeye flight out of San Francisco.”
DaSilva reportedly interrupted a safety demonstration to ask when the plane would be departing, and later allegedly fell asleep in the lavatory after being heard punching or kicking at the bathroom door. Flight attendants performed a wellness check on her, and decided to leave her be.
After waking up, DaSilva allegedly punched overhead bins and began acting agitated. According to a federal affidavit, Dasilva "was involved in a confrontation with a male flight attendant, cussing and yelling and threatening to kill him." She was then restrained with zip ties.
According to the affidavit, a passenger stated that DaSilva never physically touched any of the flight crew. She is currently in federal custody in the Western District of Missouri, where is being held on suspicion of a felony charge of interference with a flight attendant, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Last month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers reintroduced the Protection from Abusive Passengers Act, which will ban passengers fined or convicted of serious physical violence from commercial flight
