Record Fine Imposed on US Passenger Duct-Taped for Violent Behavior

New York: A 34-year-old woman from the US is facing a lawsuit for not paying an $81,950 fine for assaulting fellow passengers on an American Airlines flight in 2021. Heather Wells was accused of kicking and spitting at passengers on a flight from Texas to Charlotte on July 7, 2021. She was gagged and bound with duct tape to her seat after trying to open the aircraft door mid-flight.

Heather Wells shockingly even tried to open the plane door mid-flight but was eventually subdued with duct tape. As told by the New York Times, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) slapped this heavy fine on her, setting a new record for penalties given for unruly passenger behavior.

The lady in question is looking at a whopping penalty of $45,000 for her aggressive behaviour and threats toward the crew, imperiling the safe environment of the aircraft and endangering all onboard. Coming down harder, she’s been slapped with an additional fine of $27,950 for her audacious attempt to open the cabin door mid-flight. A further $9,000 is to be imposed for hindering the crew in performing their duties, according to a USA Today report.

DGCA De-rosters Mumbai ATC Officer After Near-miss Incident

In an unrelated incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken swift action by de-rostering an Air Traffic Control officer (ATCO) officer from Mumbai following a potentially disastrous incident involving two aircraft on the same runway.

The incident occurred on June 8 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
In the early hours of Saturday, IndiGo flight 5053, arriving from Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport (IDR), landed on runway 27 while Air India flight 657 was still in the process of taking off for Thiruvananthapuram International Airport (TRV). Both flights involved Airbus A320neo aircraft. The close timing of the landing and takeoff created a hazardous situation that could have resulted in a significant accident.

The DGCA’s immediate response to de-roster the ATC officer involved reflects the seriousness of the incident and the emphasis on maintaining strict safety standards in aviation operations. An investigation is underway to understand the circumstances that led to this breach in protocol and to implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

(With inputs from agencies)