Passenger Detained After Slapping Flight Attendant’s Butt During Beverage Service

Passenger Detained After Slapping Flight Attendant’s Butt During Beverage Service
Jimbo,
Delta Air Lines
A Delta Air Lines plane taxis at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., November 7, 2025. REUTERS/Tim Evans

A Delta flight from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles made an emergency stop in Atlanta following an alleged assault on crew. Federal prosecutors charged Cody James Maluck, 32, with slapping a flight attendant’s buttocks during drink service. Court documents indicate the attendant bypassed Maluck because he appeared asleep. She subsequently “felt a slap to her buttocks area with sufficient force to cause her body to move forward,” according to the federal complaint. When confronted, Maluck raised his hands stating “I didn’t do anything.” A colleague witnessed the incident, reporting she heard a yell and saw her coworker lurch forward “as if she had been struck or pushed.” The pilot redirected to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport where police detained Maluck. He acknowledged touching the attendant but disputed using enough force to propel her forward. Story URL

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