A United Airlines flight from Milan to Newark was forced into an emergency landing in Bangor after a ‘visibly intoxicated’ Russian first-class passenger allegedly demanded more booze
A flight was forced into an unscheduled landing after a drunken first-class passenger allegedly went on a mid-air rampage – including biting a crew member.
Federal court documents and an FBI affidavit say United Airlines Flight 18, a Boeing 777-200ER carrying 274 passengers and 13 crew, was flying from Milan, Italy, to Newark, USA, on 8 September, when the captain declared an emergency and diverted to Bangor, Maine, US.
The woman at the centre of the chaos has been named as 36-year-old Russian passenger Kristina Kedysheva, who was reportedly heading to New York for a friend’s 40th birthday party. According to investigators, Kedysheva had already been served three glasses of red wine and a whiskey-and-coke and appeared “visibly intoxicated”.
Crew say she repeatedly approached the flight deck demanding more alcohol. One crew member told investigators Kedysheva “appeared to be drunk” and went to the cockpit area four times asking for more to drink.
The lead flight attendant, who was seated near the front of the plane where Kedysheva was travelling first class, said she was told the passenger had already had multiple drinks – and that she “became loud and aggressive with the flight crew when they refused to serve her more alcohol”, People reported.
As the situation escalated, Kedysheva allegedly began filming crew on her phone and accused them of being racist. A passenger witness later reportedly told law enforcement they saw Kedysheva “move close to the outer, rear door” and reach for the handle mid-flight.
Unsure whether she was trying to open it, the witness reportedly grabbed her which is when she allegedly began yelling and flight crew moved in.
It took five people to restrain her, with documents describing a violent struggle lasting around three hours. “When flight crew and able-bodied people attempted to place Kedysheva in restraints, Kedysheva ‘fought them off,’” the lead flight attendant told investigators.
She added that after Kedysheva was taken to the ground, while the crew member tried to control her right arm the passenger allegedly “turned and bit [her] on the wrist”. And when the attendant tried to restrain Kedysheva’s legs, she allegedly “kicked” her in the upper stomach, sending her to the floor and injuring her shoulder – with breathing difficulties also reported.
Another passenger was allegedly scratched during the chaos. After landing in Bangor around midday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and local police boarded the plane and removed Kedysheva.
She was reportedly taken into FBI custody and faces federal charges including interference with a flight crew and assault. During FBI questioning, Kedysheva allegedly denied biting anyone and blamed a female flight attendant, though she conceded she might have scratched or fought people.
After she was removed and the aircraft refuelled, Flight 18 continued to Newark later that afternoon. United confirmed Flight 18 diverted to address an “unruly passenger” and said law enforcement met the plane and removed the customer, the company told People.
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