“Nicotine withdrawal is real”: Man caught vaping on plane says flight attendant assaulted him, threatens lawsuit
Peter “Kobe” Nguyen, a self-described pickleball coach, is under fire after posting a video of himself confronting a flight attendant whom he accused of “assaulting” him, shortly after he admitted to vaping in the airplane bathroom. The incident, which took place on American Airlines flight 2860, has gone viral across Instagram and Reddit, drawing widespread backlash against Nguyen for his behavior and legal threats.
Smoking of any kind on a flight is a federal crime in the U.S. due to the serious risks the act poses to the aircraft. In response to comments, Nguyen claimed to have good reasons for doing it anyway.
Vaping on a plane vs. assault
Nguyen posted footage of the argument between him and the flight attendant to his Instagram account on Monday. In the video, he appears to admit to vaping in the plane lavatory and apologizes, but objects to how the worker responded.
"I was actually sitting on the toilet and you were opening the door," he said to her before apologizing.
"I don't care," she replied. "You can keep saying you're sorry but I care about all these passengers."
She then pointed out that Nguyen was recording her and reached her hand for the phone, stretching her arm across and past him as he pulled the device back and away. She waved her hand at it, possibly trying to block the camera rather than grab it, but it's hard to tell for sure.
Regardless, this only escalated the situation.
"Did you put your hands on me?" Nguyen asked. "She just put her hands on me."
The flight attendant and her coworker denied this, but in the small space, it's possible that she did make contact with him.
Nguyen claimed to be a lawyer, though his Instagram profile only labels him as an AI expert, celebrity pickleball coach, and agent. He also said he has 25,000 followers online, which is nearly true by his Instagram alone. He then demands an apology, threatening to release the video and call the cops, and later accuses her of assault.
The attendant does apologize, but he posted the video anyway.
Why risk vaping on a plane?
The punishment for aerial vaping, if proven, is a fine of $1,771. It does not include jail time as some Redditors suggested. It is, however, a safety risk and a giant pain for the airline.
In 2023, Newsweek reported on flight attendants begging passengers not to vape in the air. TikToker Natalie Magee explained that any detected smoke on board requires "a complete overhaul of the systems and the engines" before the plane can fly again.
In responses to Instagram comments highlighted by Redditors, Nguyen claims that he vaped because he was experiencing nicotine withdrawal. In one reply asking him to confirm that he did commit this crime, he said, "Nicotine withdrawal is real."
To another commenter, he appeared to blame his behavior on distress and said he's autistic. Later, he said he "started vaping because my dad got cancer."
Will he sue American Airlines?
Nguyen has not yet posted an update on the situation. It's unclear if he did call the police when he landed, as he said he would, or if he has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines or the flight attendant specifically.
Regardless of whether the employee made contact with him while reaching for his phone, he may have a case. According to the Legal Information Institute, U.S. law defines assault as "an intentional act that puts another person in reasonable apprehension of imminent harmful or offensive contact." Only intent is required, not physical injury.
After the video spread to the Reddit forum r/TikTokCringe, one user posted a screenshot that appears to be from Nguyen's Instagram account, indicating that he has initiated legal proceedings. The Redditor highlighted this due to its relevance to the website.
"In addition to the legal proceedings, Peter 'Kobe' Nguyen's family faced harassment from users on Reddit," it reads. "This online harassment has included derogatory comments and threats, which have compounded the emotional distress experienced by the family during this challenging time."
"You are most certainly not a lawyer"
Redditors do indeed seem largely unsympathetic with Nguyen. Many pointed out the fact that smoking on a plane is a crime, with some using that to bring his lawyer claim into question.
"As an actual attorney if you feel the need to say that you are a lawyer while video taping the aftermath of breaking federal law, you are most certainly not a lawyer," said u/Nease82.
A lot of Redditors dismissed his list of reasons for his behavior on the flight, appearing to judge them as unworthy excuses. One followed the lead of an Instagram commenter by shooting down the declaration of autism.
"I have to say as an autistic person, being autistic isn't an excuse to be vaping on a plane/breaking the law," said u/Peanutbutternjelly_.
"I'm tired of that particular group of other autistic people who use their autism as an excuse for getting away with everything, and some of them are aware that what they're doing is wrong, they just don't want to be held accountable."
Instagram users similarly stood against Nguyen.
"Poor flight attendant. She didn’t deserve this," wrote @noelmulkey. "She’s just doing her job and you’re breaking the law and making her life miserable. Why do this?"
"How did he post this thinking he’s in the right?" asked @noelmulkey. "You need to be on the no fly list."
The Daily Dot has reached out to @kobe.pickleball for comment via Instagram.
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