A Boston-bound flight took a horrifying turn when a passenger, identified as Krishna Kunapuli, 39, allegedly exposed himself and refused to stop masturbating during the 14-hour journey from Abu Dhabi to Boston, according to court filings. The incident involved Kunapuli hitting on a woman in a nearby row, grabbing her breasts, and taking unauthorized photos of her. When the woman rejected his advances, Kunapuli proceeded to masturbate in full view of other passengers on the Etihad Airways flight, leading the flight crew to involve law enforcement.
The Etihad Airways passenger was witnessed engaging in inappropriate behaviour multiple times during the flight, which prompted the crew to take action. Court documents revealed that Kunapuli made crude advances towards the woman, boasting about his wealth and offering her money to spend the night with him in Boston. Despite the woman’s clear discomfort and attempts to distance herself, Kunapuli persisted in touching her and making unwanted advances.
Efforts by the flight attendants to intervene and stop Kunapuli’s inappropriate behaviour were unsuccessful. It was reported that Kunapuli was seen masturbating under a blanket for approximately 10 minutes, with fellow passengers becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the situation. One passenger even had to relocate to a different seat to avoid the disturbing sight.
Upon the plane’s arrival at Boston Logan International Airport, Kunapuli was promptly arrested by authorities. He faces charges of lewd, indecent, and obscene acts while on a special aircraft jurisdiction, which could result in a sentence of up to 90 days in prison if convicted. The Etihad Airways crew cooperated with law enforcement, leading to Kunapuli’s removal from the aircraft and subsequent questioning by investigators.
This disturbing incident is not the first of its kind, as a similar case involving a passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight occurred in 2022. In that instance, the individual faced federal charges for indecent behaviour during the flight. Kunapuli remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court to address the charges brought against him in this recent incident.