American Airlines passenger sued by FAA after being duct taped to seat
What specific actions did Heather Wells take on the American Airlines flight from Dallas to Charlotte that led to her being restrained?
Heather Wells took several disruptive actions on the American Airlines flight from Dallas to Charlotte, which led to her being restrained. According to the lawsuit filed by the FAA, Wells began causing a ruckus on the aircraft after consuming alcohol. She attempted to open the front cabin door, talked incoherently to passengers, and crawled back toward the main cabin. When a flight attendant tried to intervene, she threatened the attendant and tried to grab the handle of the front cabin door. During the struggle to restrain her, Wells struck a flight attendant in the head several times. She was eventually restrained using flex-cuffs and duct tape as she continued to kick, spit, and attempt to bite flight attendants and passengers.
What were the initial penalties imposed by the FAA on Heather Wells for her behavior during the flight?
The initial penalties imposed by the FAA on Heather Wells for her behavior during the flight included a record fine of $81,950 in civil penalties in 2022. This fine was imposed as airlines and regulators dealt with a surge in unruly passengers disrupting flights. The FAA is now suing Wells to collect this money.
What measures were taken by the flight attendants to restrain Heather Wells after her attempts to open the cabin door?
Flight attendants used duct tape and flex cuffs to restrain Heather Wells after her attempts to open the cabin door on an American Airlines flight. Wells had become aggressive and disruptive, biting, kicking, and spitting at staff and passengers. Despite being restrained, she continued to be aggressive, leading the flight crew to use duct tape to further restrain her, including taping her mouth shut. The crew had to sedate her in order to remove her from the aircraft once it had landed.