A British man has been charged with assaulting a fellow passenger and crew members during a flight from London to Los Angeles which had to be diverted to Utah.
William Hayes, 39, was arrested after the Virgin Atlantic plane landed in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
He was charged with assault and interfering with the flight crew.
During the flight, he allegedly grabbed a passenger seated in front of him by the throat and tried to hit and bite him, prompting the jet to be rerouted, US authorities said.
Witnesses told authorities that after passengers and crew members restrained and handcuffed Hayes following the alleged assault, he tried to fight with people nearby and kick the plane’s windows, according to the charging documents.
Hayes was taken to the Salt Lake County Jail and police said the case was referred to the US Attorney’s Office.
The plane then resumed its flight to LA.
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Virgin said in a statement that “the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew is always our top priority and we don’t tolerate any behaviour that compromises this”.
“Our cabin crew are highly trained to deal with any individuals that may impact that experience for others,” a spokesperson said.
