The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking a civil penalty of nearly $ 27,500 against a passenger who is accused of hitting a flight attendant in the front after being asked to leave the plane.
On Friday, the agency said a female passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight traveling to Atlanta from Miami began a verbal altercation when she and her companion were asked to disembark the flight after the male companion refused to wear a mask, The Associated Press reported.
The man also refused to fasten his seat belt or close the table with a tray, the agency said.
When the plane returned to its gate, for the couple to leave, the news was reported, the woman allegedly started screaming at the passengers and the flight attendant, finally hitting her under the left eye.
The FAA did not identify the passengers involved in the incident, but said the woman had 30 days to respond to the sentence, the AP reported. According to the FAA, the woman violated a federal regulation against assaulting a crew member.
The offense can result in a civil penalty of up to $ 35,000, according to the AP.
Last month, the FAA announced stricter sanctions for unruly passengers.