Woman pleads guilty in assault of flight attendant

A woman in California pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a charge related to a brawl on a Southwest Airlines flight that made headlines earlier this year.

Vyvianna Quinonez, who lives in Sacramento, Calif., pleaded guilty to interfering with a Southwest Airlines flight attendant in a San Diego federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. 

During a flight from Sacramento to San Diego in May, the 28-year-old Quinonez was not properly masked, unbuckled her seatbelt and put her tray table down in violation of federal policies, the office’s release said. 

When a flight attendant requested that she comply with the rules, Quinonez first began filming the flight attendant before she assaulted her by punching her in the face and head and grabbing her hair. 

The flight attendant’s injuries included three chipped teeth, bruising and a cut near her eye that required stitches. 

“The flight attendant who was assaulted was simply doing her job to ensure the safety of all passengers aboard the plane,” acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the statement. “It’s inexcusable for anyone to use violence on an airplane for any reason, particularly toward a flight attendant who is there to keep all the passengers safe.”

Quinonez will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson on March 11. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

“We appreciate the efforts of federal and local authorities working to bring this case to justice,” a spokesperson for Southwest said in a statement to The Hill. “Southwest Airlines has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to physical or verbal abuse against its Employees.”

Last month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it would seek over $160,000 in civil penalties as a result of passengers’ reported behavior following alcohol consumption and intoxication.

Updated at 2:22 p.m.