Man arrested for exposing himself and masturbating four times in front of female passenger on Southwest flight

Man claims he had asked the permission of the woman passenger who was seated next to him

A man has been arrested after he allegedly touched himself repeatedly while seated next to a woman on a Southwest Airlines flight from Seattle to Phoenix.

The man, identified as Antonio Sherrodd McGarity, according to court documents, touched himself inappropriately at least four times within the first hour of the flight on Saturday.

The court documents said that Mr McGarity “exposed his penis and masturbated while in view of the female passenger sitting next to him.”

Mr McGarity allegedly pulled down his pants and started touching himself moments after the flight took off.

He then fell asleep, which is when the woman informed the flight crew and also showed photos that she had taken on her phone of him touching himself.

She was moved to another seat for the remainder of the flight.

After landing in Phoenix, the woman said to FBI officials that Mr McGarity had touched himself at least four times within one hour of the flight.

Mr McGarity admitted to his actions to FBI Phoenix officials after the flight.

He claimed that he had asked the woman for permission before the flight had taken off.

He alleged that the woman had thrown up her hands in the air and said: “It really doesn’t matter.”

Court documents show that he also said to FBI officials that he found the whole thing “kind of kinky”, reported KOMO news.

Mr McGarity, who was arrested by the FBI officials at Phoenix Sky Harbour International Airport, has been charged with lewd, indecent or obscene acts on an aircraft.

In a statement Southwest Airlines said he also faces a ban for life from flying the airline.

“The situation was reported to crew members while inflight, and the captain contacted law enforcement to meet the aircraft upon arrival,” the statement said.

“We immediately placed the passenger on our No-Fly List, resulting in a lifetime ban from travelling on Southwest.”