A 52-year-old South Carolina man has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after his drunken and combative behavior aboard a Delta Air Lines flight last year (December 17, 2025) from Atlanta to Seoul forced the aircraft to divert to Anchorage, Alaska.
Michael Shane Orndoff Jr. had been aboard the international flight for about an hour when, according to federal court documents, he consumed four to six large glasses of wine and became increasingly intoxicated and aggressive.
Crew members eventually refused to serve him more alcohol. Prosecutors said Orndoff then attempted to persuade other passengers, including a minor, to obtain alcohol for him before allegedly taking a bottle of wine from a service cart and locking himself inside a lavatory.
After emerging with the empty bottle, he continued harassing passengers. When one female passenger moved toward the forward cabin seeking another seat, prosecutors said Orndoff followed her and began pounding on the cockpit door while demanding more alcohol.
The pilots locked the cockpit and diverted the flight to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
During the diversion, crew members and several passengers restrained Orndoff with zip ties. Police boarded the aircraft after landing and took him into custody.
His blood alcohol concentration was later measured at 0.192 — more than twice the 0.08% legal driving limit used in most U.S. states.
Federal authorities said his actions endangered the crew and passengers. Interfering with a flight crew is a federal offense and can carry serious penalties.
The case comes amid continued concerns over unruly passenger incidents that can force aircraft diversions, disrupt hundreds of passengers and create significant safety risks for flight crews.
