Flight Diverted After First-Class Passenger Fought Attendants Who Wouldn’t Give Her More Alcohol

A United Airlines flight had to be diverted from its route after a first-class passenger allegedly became unruly and began fighting passengers and flight attendants when she was refused more alcohol.

The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that, on Tuesday, September 8, United Airlines Flight 18 from Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy was diverted from its intended location at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and was instead forced to land at Bangor International Airport in Maine. It did not provide details of the diversion but stated it is investigating the situation.

According to a September 10 story in People, which cites a criminal complaint, the FBI received a report during the flight of a “non-compliant” female passenger who was allegedly “assaulting flight attendants.” When the plane landed in Maine, 37-year-old Russian citizen Kristina Kedysheva was taken into custody.

Flight attendants reported that Kedysheva was a first-class passenger seated at the front of the plane who allegedly became aggressive with staff when they told her she could not be served any more alcohol after consuming multiple drinks in the first hours of the flight. The outlet reports that Kedysheva got up from her seat and refused attendants’ directions to remain seated with her belt fastened. They accused her of drunkenly approaching the flight deck four times to request more alcohol.

A passenger witness told authorities Kedysheva moved close to the outer, rear door of the plane and said she may have tried to open it — a claim Kedysheva later denied. Regardless, the witness grabbed her and that’s when the flight crew began trying to restrain her. Kedysheva reportedly fought so viciously that it took multiple people to eventually put her in restraints, which she balked against for hours, forcing the captain to make the diverted landing in Maine.

During the scuffle, one attendant said Kedysheva bit her on the wrist, another said she was scratched on the arm hard enough to cause injuries and another said Kedysheva kicked her so hard in the stomach that she fell back and injured her shoulder.

After she was taken in by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, Kedysheva told investigators that she was traveling to New York for a friend’s 40th birthday party. She admitted to drinking alcohol but blamed a female flight attendant for being rude to her and starting the altercation. She denied reaching for the door as well as making threats to the flight crew or biting anyone. She said she did not remember scratching anyone but admitted it was possible.

Kedysheva currently faces one count of interference with a flight crew and one count of assault, according to People.