CHARLOTTE — Nicole Pizzi faces federal and local charges after allegedly assaulting a flight attendant, an EMT, and a nurse during a flight from Pittsburgh to Charlotte last year.
Court documents reveal that Pizzi was intoxicated during the flight when she attacked a flight attendant by hitting, kicking, and spitting on her.
Upon landing at Charlotte Douglas, Pizzi was restrained and taken to the hospital by medics.
While en route to the hospital, Pizzi allegedly punched an EMT in the face and pulled her out of the medic truck by her hair.
Later, at the hospital, Pizzi reportedly assaulted a nurse by scratching her face.
Channel 9′s Glenn Counts spoke with passengers at Charlotte Douglas Airport who found the situation disturbing.
“It is concerning because you have a limited amount of space and a limited number of ways to control a situation like that,” said passenger Nancy Logan.
And while most flights are uneventful, Logan said she has seen her share of the not-so-friendly skies.
“I fly almost weekly, and over the years I’ve had a few incidents where passengers have become extremely unruly, and it’s concerning because you don’t have a lot of options when you’re in the air. It’s a small, confined space,” Logan elaborated.
When passengers found out that alcohol played a role in the incident, most expressed that the airport bars and airlines should do a better job of preventing overserving.
“That’s tough; you have to treat people like adults and expect they are going to behave like adults,” said passenger Julie Dickman.
“Emphasizing to the bartender to use their discretion if someone is being overserved,” passenger Harrison Jett echoed.
Pizzi is currently out of jail on local charges but was indicted on federal charges yesterday.
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