Rude Passenger Gets Punished for Insulting Flight Attendants: ‘My Grandpa Is Worth More than This Plane!’

Flight attendants were left with no choice but to restrain a man using duct tape after causing a commotion and disrespecting the flight crew. He claimed he wasn't afraid of being punished, boasting that he came from a very wealthy family.

Flight attendants are trained to handle several in-flight scenarios from first-aid to self-defense. These trainings are required by airline companies because of the alarming percentage of passengers who attack flight attendants, such as the one in this story.

An unruly 22-year-old passenger on Frontier Airlines was accused of sexually assaulting two female flight attendants during the flight, which led to a commotion that saw him punching another crew member.

Maxwell Berry, the passenger who was accused of assaulting flight attendants | Source:

Boasting about His Family's Wealth

The passenger in question, Maxwell Berry, had reportedly groped two female flight attendants during the flight, and when flight attendants reprimanded him, he denied it, and began yelling at them, bragging about his parents being worth $2 million, and adding:

"My grandpa is worth more than this plane!"

Upon hearing this, some of his fellow passengers couldn't help but laugh out loud. Meanwhile, a flight crew continued to patiently ask him to settle down and lower his voice since he was disturbing the other passengers.

Maxwell Berry arguing with a flight attendant | Source:

He Physically Assaulted a Male Flight Attendant

In a clip that has since gone viral. Berry is seen punching a male flight attendant who was trying to restrain him and calm him down. The attendant proceeded to tackle him as best he could, but when that didn't work, the crew resorted to a more drastic measure, restraining the man with duct tape, strapping him to his seat and sealing his mouth shut.

Unfortunately, even the duct tape didn't stop Berry from causing a scene. In a clip taken by a fellow passenger, he is seen trying to wiggle his way out of the tape, successfully loosening the tape on his mouth. "Help!" he yelled continuously.

Maxwell Berry strapped to his seat with duct tape | Source:

Deciding to Restrain Him to His Seat

The flight attendants then proceeded to bring out more duct tape, this time carefully taping him to his seat to stop him from moving and yelling some more. He remained this way until they landed in Miami, where police escorts were waiting for him.

The judge assigned to Berry's case sentenced him to 60 days in prison and a year of supervised release to teach him a lesson.

Maxwell Berry attacking a male flight attendant | Source:

What Happened Next

In response to the incident, Frontier Airlines suspended their crew members in the grounds that they disregarded their proper protocols for restraining a passenger. However, after receiving outrage from the general public over their decision, they clarified that the crew members were suspended with pay while they conducted a thorough investigation over the matter.

Upon deplaning, Berry, who was a student in Ohio Wesleyan University on a golf scholarship, had to post a $1,500 bail after being charged with three counts of assault. He initially claimed he did not grope anybody, but when charges were pressed against him, he pled guilty to three counts of assault.

Frontier Airlines' statement | Source:

The Man was Sentenced to Prison

The judge assigned to Berry's case sentenced him to 60 days in prison and a year of supervised release to teach him a lesson. He was also asked to pay his victims $15,000.

Many people felt sympathy for the flight attendants, who were only doing their best to pacify the passenger and keep the situation from further escalating. A lot believed it was only right that the man got jail time, or he would never learn his lesson.

Maxwell Berry with his parents and coaches | Source:

Do you think the flight attendants did the right thing? Share your comments with us.

In another incident involving a disruptive passenger, a flight attendant decided to hit back at the disrespectful passenger by reminding him they are not servants. Click here to read all about it.