A woman is ordered to pay nearly $39K to American Airlines for interfering with a flight crew

PHOENIX (AP) — A woman from Hawaii has been ordered to pay nearly $39,000 in restitution to American Airlines for interfering with a crew on a flight last year, according to authorities.

Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that 29-year-old Cayla Farris was sentenced to more than three months of time served in connection with her actions plus three years of supervised probation.

A U.S. District judge said Farris will have to obtain approval before boarding an aircraft while she’s on probation.

According to authorities, Farris was on a Feb. 13, 2022, flight from Phoenix to Honolulu when she began using profanity and threatened the flight crew and other passengers.

The plane’s captain decided to turn the aircraft around and landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport because Farris’ behavior prevented the crew members from continuing their duties.

Farris pleaded guilty in September to a charge of interference with a flight crew member. The judge ordered her to pay $38,952 restitution to American Airlines for delay-related costs.

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The story and headline have been edited to correct that the woman is from Hawaii and removes a reference to ethnicity.