Pobeda Airlines: Passenger attacks flight attendants in violent mid-air meltdown

Chaos erupted on a flight from Novosibirsk to Moscow after a passenger did the unthinkable shortly after takeoff.

The incident unfolded on board a Pobeda Airlines service on August 23 when a passenger was told she was unable to use her phone.

Witnesses told media outlets that the 39-year-old woman allegedly lashed out and attacked cabin crew just minutes after take-off, punching two attendants in the face and leaving one in tears.

The red-haired passenger was arguing with staff before launching into a violent assault. The woman was seen striking the air hostess at least five times before fellow travellers on the plane stepped in to restrain her.

According to reports, the woman’s aggressive behaviour began about seven minutes into the flight.

Cabin staff initially handed her a document outlining the airline’s rules of conduct, which she allegedly crumpled and threw back into an attendant’s face. The confrontation escalated when her demand to use her phone was again refused.

Other passengers can be seen dragging the woman away as she laughs while being escorted through the cabin in front of an audience of shocked and distressed travellers who sat on the plane watching the aggressive act unfold.

Authorities confirmed that the crew eventually tied her up until the plane landed at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, where she was met by police and a rapid response team, according to The Sun.

A Ministry of Internal Affairs spokesperson confirmed the case, saying an administrative protocol had been filed against the woman for petty hooliganism. Under Russian law, the charge applies to disruptive behaviour that shows “high disrespect for society” and can carry a fine or a short prison term.

The investigation remains ongoing.