Six men face federal charges after they allegedly caused a disturbance on a Southwest Airlines flight to Chicago, prompting the plane to be diverted to a Texas airport.
The men, who are all from the San Diego area, were charged in a federal criminal complaint with interference with a flight crew and aiding and abetting, according to U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.
They were identified as Saiman Hermez, 19, Jonathan Khalid Petras, 20, Ghazwan Asaad Shaba, 21, Essa Solaqa, 20, Khalid Yohana, 19, and Wisam Imad Shaker, 23.
The charges come after a "level one threat" was declared onboard Flight 1522, prompting pilots to divert the flight and its 117 passengers to Amarillo, Texas, just after 10 p.m. Monday, according to court documents.
Southwest Airlines said in a statement that “several passengers traveling together became disorderly” and “refused to obey instructions from the crew.”
Officials allege the men, who were sitting together on the plane, refused to put their seat backs and tray tables up and began talking loudly and using profanity.
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The men allegedly told a flight attendant who asked them to quiet down, “We can do whatever we want on here.”
Tiffany Darge was sitting next to the group. She said the men were being rowdy and asked a flight attendant for alcohol during the flight. When the flight attendant denied them, Darge said the group called the woman "racist" and "a pig."
Darge also said the group started making offensive comments to her when she got up to go to the bathroom, and the crew later moved her seat away from the group.
"They called me ugly and a m-f-er and flipping me off," Darge said.
As the group grew increasingly loud and aggressive, a flight attendant in fear for the safety of the crew and passengers asked the pilot to divert the aircraft, according to the complaint.
The men were expected to appear in federal court Wednesday.
