Drunk Man Arrested After Punching Delta Flight Attendant On His Way to His Honeymoon

A drunk airline passenger was arrested for assaulting a flight attendant on a Delta Air Lines flight from Japan to Honolulu.

Kenji Okamoto was flying first-class from Osaka, Japan last month as he was on his way to his honeymoon. However Okamoto seemed to have had too much to drink before the flight and he continued to drink alcohol while on board, the Associated Press reports.

At one point, he got upset because the flight attendants wouldn't take his meal tray away. A flight attendant told the man that his hands were full but Okamoto didn't like that response. He allegedly threw a roundhouse punch at a flight attendant who tried to intervene. Okamoto was only able to hit the flight attendant with his arms as the flight attendant had them up to protect his head.

Crew members had to restrain the man in his seat. Okamoto later apologized for the incident while crying. "Okamoto apologized for his actions by repeatedly saying 'I'm sorry' and bowed down on his knees and placed his head on the floor," a complaint said. Okamoto remained calm for the rest of the flight and eventually fell asleep.

When questioned by authorities, Okamoto said he was in the construction business and he was drinking a lot because he was celebrating his honeymoon with his wife. The couple was married on April 20, 2014. Okamoto said that he had four glasses of beer and a glass of wine before he got on the plane and he continued to drink champagne on board.

Okamoto said the incident went by in a flash and he didn't remember too many details. He said that he was upset because he felt like he was being disrespected when the flight attendant wouldn't take his food tray away.

Okamoto was arrested once the flight landed and he never got to go on his honeymoon which was supposed to be at a luxury resort in east Honolulu. At first, U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang allowed Okamoto to be released on $50,000 bail, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Hino appealed this decision as she found that Okamoto failed to mention that he was previously arrested for assaulting a police officer. Hino argued that Okamoto was a danger. He was later banned from flying by Delta.

An appeal was granted by U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright to keep Okamoto at Honolulu Federal Detention Center without bail.

On Friday, Okamoto pleaded guilty to interfering with the duties of a flight attendant by assaulting and intimidating him. When he's sentenced on Sept. 22, Okamoto may face up to 20 years in prison.