A Florida man who went berserk last July on a Seattle-to-Beijing flight, beating passengers and crew members with a wine bottle before being subdued, was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison.
According to federal charges, Hudek — whose mother worked for the airline at the time but has since lost her job — was flying first class on a “dependent pass” aboard Delta Air Lines Flight 129 along with 209 other passengers and 11 crew members.
Prosecutors said Hudek tried to open an exit door while the flight was over the Pacific Ocean, managing to move the lever about halfway up.
When two flight attendants tried to stop him from opening the door, Hudek became violent, federal prosecutors said. A melee ensued in which Hudek punched one of the attendants twice in the face and hit a fellow passenger with a wine bottle and with his fists.
A flight attendant grabbed two wine bottles and hit Hudek with both, breaking one over his head.