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A SPIRIT Airlines pilot has been arrested and charged with stalking two minors.
Dominic A Cipolla, 40, was yanked from the plane and put in cuffs after the disturbing allegations came to light on July 17.
He was at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport when he was taken away for the charges out of Johnson County, Kansas, which is outside Kansas City.
Cipolla was taken to a jail near the airport before he was transferred to the Johnson County jail on August 2, according to records seen by The Guardian.
He bonded out with $12,500 and is set to appear in court for the first time on Tuesday.
Little is known about the disturbing charges, but the victims’ ages were listed as 12 and 17 years old.
In a statement, Spirit told The U.S. Sun it was “aware of a matter involving a pilot at Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport […] which was unrelated to the performance of their job duties.”
“The pilot was removed from duty pending our investigation into the matter.
“And we arrange for another pilot to operate the flight.”
The charge associated with the younger alleged victim is considered a level 7 felony in Kansas, records seen by The Guardian state.
The other charge is a class A misdemeanor that can bring a $2,500 fine or up to a year in county jail.
Cipolla is a resident of Kansas City, the records state.
He once served in the US military and has been with Spirit since 2022, the outlet reported.
Before joining Spirit, he reportedly worked for the Texas regional airline Envoy Air.
Cipolla has defended his innocence and, speaking through an attorney, called the charges bogus.
His lawyer Brandan Davies said that his client is a “two-time combat veteran with not so much as a speeding ticket on his record.”
“Mr Cipolla denies the allegations against him and asks that the media allow the court process to take place,” wrote the attorney in a statement.
Full statement from Spirit
“We are aware of a matter involving a Pilot at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY), which was unrelated to the performance of their job duties. The Pilot was removed from duty pending our investigation into the matter, and we arranged for another Pilot to operate the flight. “
OTHER SPIRIT NEWS
Budget airline Spirit made a major change recently as it has struggled to turn a profit in recent years.
In November 2024, the airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has had to cut some routes to save on costs.
Now, the brand is planning to furlough a staggering 270 pilots this fall.
This will be the third round of cuts this year alone.
The company said it is taking “necessary steps to ensure we operate as efficiently as possible as part of our efforts to return to profitability.”
