Utah prosecutors have charged two apparently drunken men with disrupting an American Airlines flight from Canada to Texas this week, prompting an unscheduled landing in Salt Lake City.
Andrew Maxwell, 20, of Madisonville, La., and Jacques Labourer, 23, of New Orleans, appeared in federal court Friday and pleaded not guilty to one charge each of interference with a flight crew and one count of aiding and abetting. They have been released pending trial on Aug. 6.
According to court documents, Maxwell and Labourer carried their own bottles of whiskey onto the May 27 flight. They allegedly became belligerent and verbally abusive when flight attendants asked them to relinquish the bottles.
Airline employees attempted to calm the men with other beverages and free headsets, but they continued to use foul and abusive language, documents state. Passengers seated near the men asked to be moved.
At some point during the flight, Maxwell attempted to steal bottles of liquor from a galley at the rear of the plane, according to court documents.
Maxwell initially refused to return to his seat but later complied, documents state. Flight attendants retrieved handcuffs and enlisted two passengers to help physically restrain the men if necessary.
The men's behavior prompted the pilot to make a stop in Salt Lake City, the nearest major airport, where Maxwell and Laboureur were arrested by airport police, according to court documents.
Each man faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as possible restitution for the cost of the unscheduled stop.