Woman refusing to get off phone on plane spits on passenger, slides down exit, US feds say

The woman, 24, of Rochester, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation after she pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the US, the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York announced. — Photo by Owen Spencer on Unsplash

An American Airlines passenger prevented a plane from taking off – forcing others to reschedule their flights – after she was asked to get off her phone, federal prosecutors said.

The woman refused the flight attendants’ request, which made her “irate” as the plane heading to Chicago was departing from Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York on April 19, 2022, according to court documents.