Federal charges filed against “disruptive” passenger who injured flight attendant on flight to DFW

NORTH TEXAS – A man who injured a flight attendant while trying to exit a plane during a flight from Milwaukee to Dallas has been identified and charged federally.

According to U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton, 29-year-old Abdul-al-Jabbar Oloruntoba Olaiya is charged with interfering with a flight crew through bodily harm or intimidation under the United States’ special aircraft jurisdiction.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have been over 1,800 incidents involving unruly passengers so far in 2024. The FAA will take legal action against any passenger who attacks, threatens, intimidates or disrupts flight crew members. They can impose civil penalties of up to $37,000 for each violation.

Court documents allege that on Nov. 19, about two hours into the flight, Olaiya became frustrated that a flight attendant was working in the front galley.

Witnesses reported he told the flight attendant he was the “captain of this flight” and needed to “get off the plane.”

He then allegedly charged toward the flight attendant to reach the plane’s exit door. The flight attendant, identified in court documents as SJ, blocked the door with her body and sustained injuries during the altercation.

Other passengers were able to subdue Olaiya by putting tape on his wrists and ankles. With only about 30 minutes left in the flight, the pilots made their way to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and alerted the tower to a priority landing.

After landing, law enforcement removed Olaiya from the plane and took him for a medical examination.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison.