Unruly flier slaps undercover air marshal

**Midnight Mike** · 2006-12-28, 08:53 PM

Oops! Unruly flier slaps undercover air marshal

Story Highlights•Unruly man upset after attendants stopped serving him liquor

•The man he allegedly slapped was federal air marshal
•Passenger to be charged with interfering with flight crew
•US Airways Flight 1295 en route from D.C. to Fort Myers, Florida

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A US Airways passenger faced charges of interfering with a flight crew Thursday after he apparently unknowingly slapped an undercover federal air marshal, said an official familiar with the case.

The man, who'd been drinking liquor, threw a mid-air temper tantrum Wednesday night after attendants refused to serve him any more alcohol during his flight from Washington's Reagan National Airport to Fort Myers, Florida, the official said.

The passenger then slapped a fellow passenger, who happened to be an undercover air marshal assigned to the flight, said the official.

"He had a bad night last night," said the official, who asked to remain anonymous and isn't authorized to reveal specifics of the case. The passenger is expected to be arraigned Thursday.

The air marshal detained the man for the remainder of the flight and arrested him after the aircraft arrived in Fort Myers. The man is expected to be charged with interfering with a flight crew.