Southwest Flight Diverted After Traveler Assaults Seatmate
A Southwest flight had to divert to Albuquerque on Tuesday after a 29-year-old man repeatedly harassed a fellow traveler.
A criminal complaint was filed against Justin Riley Brafford for allegedly touching a seatmate repeatedly on her leg and with his feet, as well as pulling on her clothing and asking invasive personal questions. The complaint also states that Brafford grew "belligerent" when flight attendants moved the woman to a new seat, cursing and yelling at them to the point where the crew asked the pilot to divert to New Mexico to address the issue, and prepared restraints and blankets in case he became violent.
Brafford made an initial court appearance in New Mexico Wednesday for a felony count of flight crew interference, as well as a misdemeanor assault charge against the woman. He remains in federal custody.
The criminal complaint documents state that Brafford chose a middle seat Tuesday after boarding Southwest Flight 859 from Los Angeles to Dallas. As the plane prepared for takeoff, Brafford began putting his arm on the leg of the woman seated in the aisle seat and "playing footsies" with her. The woman told authorities that she leaned away and tried to ignore him, but the harassment escalated as the flight progressed. After she asked him to stop kicking her, he tugged on her sweater and began asking for her name, where she lived and if she was staying alone in a hotel in Dallas. He whispered "don't [expletive] with me" into her ear, she said, after she declined to go on a date with him. Brafford sat so closely to the woman that a flight attendant assumed they were a couple based on his actions, according to the complaint.
The woman flagged down a flight attendant for help, asking if she could move to another seat. The crew member helped retrieve her belongings and brought her a drink later, only to find her crying because Brafford had come by her new seat and confronted her again, according to The Dallas Morning News. When the flight attendant spoke with Brafford, he "went from zero to sixty in nanoseconds," according to the criminal complaint, leading the crew member to question if he was under the influence of behavior-altering drugs since his behavior wasn't "like a normal person."
The flight attendant spoke with the pilot, who decided to divert to Albuquerque (ABQ). Although the crew prepared blankets and restraints in case Brafford presented additional trouble, the flight landed smoothly and he was taken into custody by law enforcement upon landing. The flight and two others were delayed for 90 minutes, resulting in a number of passengers missing connecting flights.
Brafford told authorities that he had taken methamphetamines the day before the flight and overdosed on heroin last Saturday, and also told the FBI agent that God had been talking to him during the flight. Brafford stated that he and the woman had watched videos together on her computer, which he interpreted as her flirting with him. He also said that he could have misread the situation, according to the complaint. If convicted of the charges, Brafford could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine for the assault misdemeanor charge, and up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 fine for interfering with the flight crew.
Southwest released a statement saying, "The safety and comfort of everyone on board every operating aircraft is our highest concern." This is the airline's second sexual assault complaint in less than one month, and just the latest in a slew of harassment and assault complaints across airlines this year. In June, the FBI stated that reports of midflight sexual assault are spiking at “an alarming rate” of 66% between 2014 to 2017, although the agency “isn’t sure why.” Convictions for assault carry heavy penalties: One man is facing a possible life sentence for assaulting a fellow passenger on a Spirit flight earlier this year.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.