Man causes drama on United Airlines flight after he wanted to do yoga during a meal service

A VIOLENT passenger forced a United Airlines plane to turn around after he wanted to do yoga instead of sit in his seat, and allegedly threatened to kill passengers.

United Airlines Plane Canberra

A JAPAN-bound plane was forced to return to Hawaii because of a violent passenger who wanted to do yoga instead of sit in his seat, the FBI has alleged.

The pilot of a United Airlines flight from Honolulu International Airport to Narita International Airport turned the plane around after hearing that the man was yelling at crew members and shoving his wife.

Hyongtae Pae told the FBI he didn’t want to sit in his seat during the meal service, so he went to the back of the plane to do yoga and meditate. He became angry when his wife and flight attendants told him to return to his seat. “Pae pushed his wife because she was trying to make him stop,” the complaint said.

“He felt that she was siding with the flight crew.”

Assistant US lawyer Darren Ching said he tried to headbutt and bite Marines who were passengers on the flight and tried to force him back to his seat.

According to the complaint, he threatened to kill passengers and was yelling that there is no god.

Pae went into a rage because he felt the flight crew was ordering him around, Ching said.

Ching said Pae shouldn’t be released because he’s a danger to his wife, himself and others.

Pae urinated on himself and was on suicide watch at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center, Ching said.

US Magistrate Judge Kevin Chang ordered that Pae be released on $25,000 bond, but with certain conditions including not leaving the island of Oahu and undergoing a mental health evaluation.

Since the arrest, Pae’s wife has been staying at the Waikiki Gateway Hotel, defence lawyer Jin Tae “J.T.” Kim told the judge, who asked whether Pae had financial resources to continue staying there after his release. Kim said he’s working with the consulate to transfer more money to Pae’s wife and find alternate, temporary housing.

Chang denied Kim’s request to allow Pae to return home to Korea, because that would involve getting on a plane again.

Outside of court, Kim said his client is a 72-year-old retired farmer who travelled from South Korea to celebrate his 40th wedding anniversary with a Hawaii vacation. It was the couple’s first trip to Hawaii.

Pae only recently took up yoga to help with anxiety, Kim said, adding that he was sleep-deprived during the vacation.

Pae told the FBI he hadn’t been able to sleep in 11 days.