Intoxicated American passenger bites ANA flight attendant

An aircraft from All Nippon Airways. Photo from All Nippon Airways' Instagram

As reported by CNN, the incident led to the flight’s return to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, just over an hour after departure, according to an ANA spokesperson.

The male passenger was subsequently detained by local police in Tokyo, but his identity remains undisclosed. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has not provided further details on the incident.

The flight attendant who was attacked sustained minor injuries, as noted by The Japan Times.

This incident is part of a series of recent disturbances during flights. Reuters reported that in 2022, an American Airlines passenger was fined a record US$81,950 by U.S. aviation regulators for shoving and spitting at crew members. In a different case, a Delta Air Lines passenger received a fine topping US$75,000 for biting a passenger after attempting to hug and kiss another.

Furthermore, earlier this month, CBS News reported that an American Airlines flight to Montana in the U.S. had to be diverted to a Texas airport due to a passenger punching a flight attendant after being asked to stop kicking the seat in front of him.