A woman in the United States who flew into a rage was convicted of assaulting two people on a flight and activating an emergency slide while the plane was moving.

Cynthia McKnight, 24, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation last Friday after she pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.

She agreed to pay US$42,128 (S$57,000) in restitution as part of her sentencing, according to her plea agreement.

The incident involving McKnight was one of 2,455 reports of unruly passengers that were sent to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 2022.

On April 19, 2022, McKnight was on an American Airlines flight from Buffalo to Chicago.

She was asked by flight attendants to stop using her phone as the plane was departing.

She refused to do so, and was irate with the request, according to court documents.

McKnight left her seat and headed towards the front of the plane, where she argued with one passenger and spat on another, an affidavit said.

The aircraft was required to return to the gate as a result of the altercation.

McKnight tried to exit the aircraft while it was still in motion on the ground.

A flight attendant tried to stop her from opening an aircraft door, but McKnight pushed her.

The 24-year-old was eventually able to open a door, which activated the emergency slide.

She slid down and tried to run away but airport officials and the transportation authority apprehended her on the tarmac, the affidavit said.

McKnight resisted arrest, and damaged a wall once inside the transportation authority’s police station.

She later told the authorities she was under the influence of alcohol.

McKnight said she was “upset that the flight was delayed”, and that she wanted to get off the plane.

As for why she spat on a passenger, she said it was because the other person was recording her.

Because McKnight deployed the plane’s emergency slide, American Airlines deemed the aircraft inoperable, the affidavit said.

The passengers had to disembark and make new flight plans.

McKnight is accused of causing US$50,000 in damage.

According to data from the FAA, reports of unruly passengers spiked in 2021, when 5,973 reports were made.

The figure for 2023 stands at 708 so far.