Man Arrested For In-Flight Disturbance…That Occurred Four Months Ago

Delayed justice is still justice. In Japan, a man was arrested for an in-flight disturbance over masks that occurred last September. Actions always have consequences.

Better Late Than Never: Man Arrested For Shocking In-Flight Disturbance

The incident occurred on September 7, 2020 onboard a Peach Aviation flight. Peach is a low-cost-carrier based in Osaka and subsidiary of All Nippon Airways. 34-year-old Junya Okuno refused to put on a mask before takeoff, demanding that the request be made in writing. The flight, traveling from Hokkaido (KUH) to Osaka (ITM), still took off and Okuno continued to refuse to wear a mask while in the air.

When flight attendants again reminded him of the mask requirement, he became even more belligerent and twisted the arm of one flight attendant. Deeming him a threat, the captain diverted the Osaka-bound flight to Niigata Airport (KIJ).

Okuno was showered with applause as he was led off the aircraft and it isn’t clear how he got home to Toride in the Ibaraki Prefecture.

But earlier this week, a knock came at his door. It was Osaka Prefectural Police. They placed him under arrest for “forced obstruction of business operations.” I’m not sufficiently familiar with Japanese law to understand how police from Osaka could make an arrest in Ibaraki, but Okuno now faces potential fines and jail time.

CONCUSION

Stating the “customer is king” is an understatement in Japan. Nevertheless, the customer is not always right; there are limits. It appears Okuno was given more than enough rope to hang himself with second and third chances to comply. Holding him to account for his poor behavior will hopefully discourage other potential deviants from creating disturbances or harassing flights attendants onboard.