Passenger who disrupted flight ordered to pay United Airlines more than $20,000

Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald was on Flight 883 headed to Newark from London on March 1 when a crew member heard him arguing loudly with his girlfriend, according to NBC News.

A passenger who was “physically combative” on a United Airlines flight in March has been ordered to pay more than $20,000 to the company, according to prosecutors.

>> Read more trending news

Alexander Michael Dominic MacDonald was on Flight 883 headed to Newark, New Jersey, from London on March 1 when a crew member heard him arguing loudly with his girlfriend, according to NBC News.

Flight attendants asked him to lower his voice, according to court records. He did, but minutes later, he began yelling at a flight attendant.

“When flight attendants asked MacDonald to be quiet and attempted to calm him, he became belligerent, threatening and intimidating towards them,” prosecutors said.

Another crew member came to MacDonald’s seat and stood between him and the flight attendant, and attempted to calm him down, the documents state. MacDonald “continued to be verbally and physically aggressive,” asking the crew member “if he would like to ‘have a problem?’” according to the complaint.

MacDonald went on to threaten to “mess up the plane” amid the altercation. He was placed in flex cuffs by the crew member with the help of another passenger, according to the court documents, and continued to be “non-compliant,” refusing to stay in the crew rest seat he was placed in.

As MacDonald continued to argue with flight attendants, the pilot diverted from the original destination of Newark to Bangor, Maine, prosecutors said.

When the flight landed in Maine, MacDonald and his companion were removed from the aircraft. Local officials arrested McDonald, United Airlines said in a statement at the time.

The U.S. District Court in Bangor sentenced MacDonald to time served after being in custody since the March 1 incident and ordered him to pay United Airlines $20,638.00 in reimbursement for the cost of the flight diversion.

On AirMix 96.5 Tulsa - Today's Best Music! Logo

mobile apps

Everything you love about mix965tulsa.com and more! Tap on any of the buttons below to download our app.

amazon alexa

Enable our Skill today to listen live at home on your Alexa Devices!