Airline passenger charged with assault after allegedly slapping crew members’s butt over missing drink

For many in-flight passengers, the biggest offense is kicking the seat in front of you or hogging the armrest.

But for one unruly Delta passenger, who allegedly skipped during beverage service, the reaction was far more outrageous, prompting a diversion and landing him with a felony charge.

Cody James Maluck, 32, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta on Monday on one count of interfering with flight crew members after the alleged May 9 incident aboard Delta Flight 800 from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles.

According to the complaint filed, the flight was diverted to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where authorities took him into custody. Prosecutors determined the alleged assault stemmed from Maluck’s frustration over being passed over during the beverage service.

The flight attendant, identified only as P.L.L., alleges she began her in-flight service by selling food to passengers. As she approached Maluck, the complaint states she passed by his seat after believing he was asleep and served another passenger nearby. P.L.L. claims to feel a slap with “sufficient force” to her buttocks, which caused her to propel forward.

She turned around and allegedly discovered it was Maluck, who was raising his hands in denial, according to the complaint.

The attendant immediately reported the incident to a lead flight attendant, who informed the captain. The crew decided to divert the flight to Atlanta, where law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft and took Maluck into custody.

A federal grand jury in Atlanta indicted Maluck on June 9 on one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants, a felony offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The incident marks the latest case of disruptive passenger behavior that has forced airlines to take drastic action mid-flight.

“We have zero tolerance for unruly behavior and will work with law enforcement authorities in the prosecution of anyone who violates federal law while flying,” the airline said in a statement to The Post.

The Federal Aviation Administration and airlines have cracked down on disruptive passengers in recent years, warning that interference with flight crews can result in significant fines and criminal prosecution.

For flight attendants, physical assaults remain one of the most serious safety concerns they face while working in the cabin, a trend that seemed to escalate following the pandemic, when it came to wearing a mask. Crews are now trained to quickly alert pilots and authorities when incidents escalate.

Maluck was initially arrested after the plane landed in Atlanta and was later indicted by a federal grand jury. His case is pending in federal court.

If convicted, he could face up to 20 years behind bars for the alleged in-flight outburst that prosecutors say began with nothing more than a missed drink order.