An irate Spirit passenger has been sentenced to two months in federal prison after a recent violent outburst on a flight.
Michael Minko threatened to blow up the plane while on a Spirit flight in July after tossing back a mixture of an anti-anxiety medication and bourbon. While in route from Newark, New Jersey, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Minko allegedly ignored warning labels on his bottle of Alprazolam, which strictly enforces that alcohol should never be taken with the drug. The passenger in the seat beside him, who is referred to as R.N. in court documents, flagged down a flight attendant to alert them of Minko’s behavior, according to the Miami Herald.
Upon hearing about the situation, a flight attendant, referred to in court documents as B.B., asked Minko to give her the liquor bottle as outside alcohol is not permitted on airplanes.
However, according to court statements, Minko went on to call her "a n****r bitch and a slave several times and told B.B. that he would kill her.”
After her life was threatened, B.B. walked away, but not before offering Minko a barf bag, which he accepted by throwing more racial slurs at her.
Continuing to act out, Minko began to kick the chair of the woman in front of him. He also pushed a passenger and even went so far as to punch an airplane window.
Eventually, Minko had to be restrained by three men and handcuffed.
Minko was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Beth Bloom who also added on two years probation after his prison time. He will start serving his sentence on Feb. 23 after he completes treatment for drugs and alcohol.