Passenger Taped to Seat After Alleged Assaults on Flight Attendants

A passenger was duct-taped to his seat by airline staff after he allegedly assaulted attendants on a flight from Philadelphia to Miami on July 31, according to authorities.

The passenger, identified by police as 22-year-old Maxwell Berry, was arrested after allegedly groping two Frontier Airlines flight attendants and punching another. Berry was arrested and charged with three misdemeanor counts of assault, authorities told local media.

Part of the alleged incident was caught on camera by other passengers. In this video, captured by Alfredo Rivera, a passenger is seen shouting and cursing at the crew, saying his parents are worth more than “two million goddamn dollars.” A crew member is then see duct-taping the man to his seat.

In a statement to Storyful, Frontier Airlines said “a passenger made inappropriate physical contact with two flight attendants and subsequently physically assaulted another flight attendant,” resulting in the passenger needing to be restrained “until the flight landed in Miami and law enforcement arrived.”

Frontier Airlines said it was supporting the attendants involved and that they had been placed on paid leave “in line with an event of this nature pending an investigation.”

The Association of Flight Attendants criticized an earlier statement in which the airline said the crew would be “relieved of flying pending completion of an investigation.”

“Frontier Airlines maintains the utmost value, respect, concern and support for all of our flight attendants, including those who were assaulted on this flight,” the airline said. “We are supporting the needs of these team members and are working with law enforcement to fully support the prosecution of the passenger involved.”

Storyful has contacted Maxwell Berry for comment. Credit: Alfredo Rivera via Storyful