Flight attendant's family thanks pilot for protecting daughter

Updated
Mom of Flight Attendant Thanks Pilot For Protecting Her Daughter During Attack
Mom of Flight Attendant Thanks Pilot For Protecting Her Daughter During Attack


This is the flight attendant who got roughed up on an American Airlines plane after it landed in North Carolina.

Frantisha Lester can be heard asking the unruly passenger to sit down before he shoves her into the plane's cockpit.

See also: Ryanair flight attendant makes safety instructions more fun

See also: Pilot takes down passenger who pushed flight attendant


The man in the baseball cap, Michael Kerr, was reportedly trying to get off the plane before everyone else on board.

Kerr, who is a chef from Kentucky, allegedly had three Jack Daniels during the flight.

Finally the pilot has had enough and takes the man down, pinning him to a seat.

As he moves the man he can be heard saying: "You don't put your hands on my flight attendant."

Now, the family of Frantish Lester are speaking out.

Deborah Reed, her mother, said of the pilot: "I commend him, I appreciate him and I just want to tell him thank you so much for protecting my daughter."

But they're also wondering, like lots of other people, why did no one else jump in to help Frantisha.

Sarah Nelson is president of the International Association of Flight Attendants, she said: "Alcohol is the leading cause of disruptions on board the aircraft, and conflicts and what leads to assault."

She advised that passengers should wait for instruction from flight attendants before get involved in a situation.

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