Bay Area woman indicted for allegedly assaulting Air India flight crew, SFO personnel

By Tim Fang

A woman from Contra Costa County has been indicted on federal charges after she allegedly attacked members of a flight crew, a federal agent and a San Francisco International Airport employee on a trip from India to the Bay Area, prosecutors said.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California, 40-year-old Reshma Kamath of Bethel Island is accused of two counts of interfering with a flight crew, one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer, and one count of interfering with security screening personnel. Kamath made her initial court appearance on Thursday.

Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from an incident in which Kamath was a passenger on board Air India Flight 173 from Delhi, India to San Francisco on June 28 and 29 of this year. During the nonstop 15-hour flight, Kamath allegedly assaulted and intimidated two members of the crew by verbally abusing, threatening and striking them.

Once the flight arrived in San Francisco, she allegedly attacked an airport employee with security duties. Prosecutors said Kamath also struck a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and resisted arrest.

If convicted, Kamath faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of interfering with a flight crew, eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine for assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for interfering with security screening personnel.

Prosecutors said Kamath’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.