January.
He appeared before a judge in New York a week later and was charged with “intentionally assaulting and intimidating a member of a flight crew”, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Friday.
Unruly, maskless passenger forces London-bound flight to return to Miami
It said the suspect repeatedly refused to wear a mask, threw a beverage can and hit a passenger in the head, and “pulled down his pants and underwear and mooned a flight attendant and passengers”.
A court spokesman said that if convicted of this felony charge, McInerney could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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McInerney was headed to Florida to take up a job at a football academy.
He was released on $20,000 bail as he awaits trial.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in January 2021 it would observe a zero-tolerance policy toward people who reject federal rules mandating mask-wearing on US domestic flights.
This came as flight attendants reported a high number of incidents of verbal and physical abuse from travellers who refuse to wear a mask.
An American Airlines jetliner headed from Miami to London turned around in mid-flight on Thursday because a passenger refused to wear a Covid mask.
He appeared before a judge in New York a week later and was charged with “intentionally assaulting and intimidating a member of a flight crew”, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Friday.
Unruly, maskless passenger forces London-bound flight to return to Miami
It said the suspect repeatedly refused to wear a mask, threw a beverage can and hit a passenger in the head, and “pulled down his pants and underwear and mooned a flight attendant and passengers”.
A court spokesman said that if convicted of this felony charge, McInerney could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
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McInerney was headed to Florida to take up a job at a football academy.
He was released on $20,000 bail as he awaits trial.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in January 2021 it would observe a zero-tolerance policy toward people who reject federal rules mandating mask-wearing on US domestic flights.
This came as flight attendants reported a high number of incidents of verbal and physical abuse from travellers who refuse to wear a mask.
An American Airlines jetliner headed from Miami to London turned around in mid-flight on Thursday because a passenger refused to wear a Covid mask.
