A first class passenger on board a Delta Airlines flight bound for Phoenix was arrested for assault for attacking a flight attendant and calling him a homophic slur after he refused to serve him a drink.
Christopher Alexander Morgan was arrested when Delta Air Lines flight 2908 touched down April 22 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He was charged with interference with flight crew members - a felony.
Morgan was 'Uncooperative' and Refused to Comply with Attendant's Instructions
Morgan allegedly became upset with the flight attendant after he turned down his request for more alcoholic beverages, according to an FBI affidavit obtained first by The Daily Beast.
The incident started before the aircraft even took off from Atlanta, when Morgan, who was sitting in seat 1D, "reclined his seat all the way back and refused to put on his seatbelt," read the affidavit that was unsealed Monday.
Two flight attendants told Morgan that he needed to bring his seatback to the upright position for takeoff, but he refused, becoming "uncooperative and would not comply with their instructions," according to the affidavit.
Morgan Called the Attendant a 'F*g,' Threw a Cup of Ice at Him
Not long after the flight took off, Morgan ordered, and was served, an alcoholic beverage. When he ordered a second, the flight attendant, who is identified in the complaint only as "H.D.," offered him a non-alcoholic drink instead, which "angered Morgan," according to the filing.
Morgan then allegedly tried to get the attendant to change his mind by calling him a "f*g" and a "queer." He also allegedly threw a cup of ice at a crew member and hit a passenger with and intercom handset.
"When passenger R.O., who was sitting in seat 2G, said something to Morgan to deescalate Morgan's display of aggression, Morgan became angry with the passenger R.O. and held the glass he was holding up to R.O.'s face."
Morgan Assaulted the Attendant with a Telephone, Said Homosexuals Made Him 'Uncomfortable'
At this point, H.D., the flight attendant, went to the galley to call the captain and tell him what was happening in the cabin.
"According to H.D., Morgan then got out of his seat, grabbed the telephone from H.D., and hit H.D. in the chest with the telephone," the affidavit states. "Passenger R.O. reported that he heard Morgan call H.D. a 'fag' and that he observed Morgan take the airplane phone from H.D. and throw it at him."
Meanwhile, another flight attendant guarded the cockpit door for the remainder of the flight, "out of security concerns for the flight crew," says the affidavit. "H.D. reported that he did not know what Morgan might do next."
Once the flight landed in Phoenix, FBI agents interviewed Morgan. Morgan "said the flight attendant was homosexual and that this made him uncomfortable," according to the affidavit, which says Morgan admitted becoming angry at being denied another drink.
"Morgan said that he is homophobic and that it is possible he could have been intimidating to the flight attendants," the affidavit concludes. "He said that his homophobia may have caused his temper towards the flight attendant to escalate and he admitted that he called H.D. a queer."
However, he denied assaulting the flight attendant and said he never even touched a telephone, according to the affidavit.
Delta Airlines Releases Statement
"Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior and discrimination at our airports and aboard our aircraft and takes all reports of such behavior seriously, especially when directed at our employees," the airline said when asked for comment. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our people and our customers."
If convicted, Morgan could face up to 20 years in prison for interfering with a flight crew member or attendant's duties.
