A Tennessee woman is facing federal charges after prosecutors say she disrupted a flight in November.
Amanda Renee Henry, 43, of Lebanon, Tennessee, was flying Spirit Airlines from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Nashville, Tennessee, on Nov. 27, the Department of Justice said in a news release.
According to the criminal complaint, Henry appeared to be intoxicated during the flight and passengers in the seats surrounding her asked to be moved because of how they said she was acting.
Because Henry was in an exit row, flight attendants decided to move her, but she refused a new seating assignment. She then grabbed her carry-on bag and ran to the front of the plane, yelling “I’m getting off this plane.” A flight attendant blocked Henry from the main cabin door and tried to restrain her, but DOJ officials said Henry kicked and hit the employee and assaulted another flight attendant who tried to help.
Eventually, crew members were able to restrain Henry and a fellow passenger who was an off-duty firefighter sat with her, keeping her calm for the rest of the flight.
Henry was arrested by Nashville International Airport Department of Public Safety upon landing and charged with public intoxication.
Henry also faces federal charges of interfering with a flight crew. She faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.
She surrendered to the FBI in Nashville on Tuesday, Department of Justice officials said.