It looks like it is now too expensive to join the Mile High Club.
But isn’t membership free? Yes, so long as a flight attendant does not ask you to stop.
If a flight attendant asks you to stop your ‘activities’ and you don’t, you are now committing a felony.
From Section 46504 of Title 49 of the US Code:
An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. However, if a dangerous weapon is used in assaulting or intimidating the member or attendant, the individual shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.
Jesus, I wonder what could be considered a ‘dangerous weapon’?
Seem far fetched? Totally, but not for two lovebirds who were arrested upon landing and have been indicted.
From the indictment:
…the defendants, CARL WARREN PERSING and DAWN ELIZABETH SEWELL, did by intimidation, knowingly interfere with the performance of the duties of an aircraft flight attendant and lessen the ability of the attendant to perform his duties….
The FBI agent’s affidavit, attached to the indictment, explains the suspect ‘activity’ witnessed by the flight attendants. Below is a key page:
Sounds like cuddling to me. I don’t think this rises to the level of a felony, but I am no lawyer. I wish I could be on the jury for this case.
Thank god there wasn’t an Air Marshall on the flight, or these two would probably be dead.
What the hell? They were doing it right there in the cabin? In their seats? I’d have dumped cold water on them. They sound like a couple assholes. Not sure why it would be a felony though. Maybe because an airplane is one place you can’t just get up and walk away and creating a disturbance like that can be a serious threat to the safety of the entire flight? I don’t know.