American Airlines passenger is sued by the FAA after being duct taped to seat

An American Airlines passenger who was gagged and bound with duct tape to her seat after being accused of attempting to open an aircraft door mid-flight has been sued by the FAA. Heather Wells, 34, was flying from Dallas to Charlotte, North Carolina, on July 6, 2021, when she began causing a ruckus on the aircraft – “biting” and spitting at staff and passengers, and allegedly attempting to open the front cabin door. A viral video showed her duct-taped to the seat in the aftermath of the incident. The FAA first fined Wells a record $81,950 in civil penalties in 2022 as airlines and regulators battled against a surge of wayward passengers disrupting flights. Now, US attorney Jaime Esparza has filed a lawsuit in San Antonio’s federal court on behalf of the FAA seeking to collect the money from Wells, according to a lawsuit first seen by San Antonio Express. The business class passenger “wanted out” after drinking a neat Jack Daniels as she began running to the front of the plane and attempting to grab the handle of the front cabin door, according to the lawsuit filed on June 6. Story has details.<br/>