A passenger aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for New York has been charged after he allegedly threatened the flight crew, other passengers, his girlfriend and her children, prompting the aircraft to return to Honolulu.

James W. August appeared at Honolulu federal court Wednesday on a charge of interference with flight crew members and attendants. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 21.

He was released from the detention center after posting $25,000 bond and has been ordered to stay at a halfway house as one of the bond conditions, according to court documents.

Shortly before 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, Hawaiian Airlines notified the FBI that the aircraft was returning to Honolulu because of a disruptive passenger aboard a nonstop flight, HA 50, en route to John F. Kennedy Airport.

The aircraft carrying 280 passengers was over the ocean and about 3-1/2 hours into the flight when the pilot decided to turn the aircraft around because of August’s actions.

The plane arrived in Honolulu at 9:25 p.m., when deputy sheriffs and special agents escorted August off the plane and arrested him. The flight resumed service at 12:35 a.m.

According to the court document, August’s girlfriend and her three children moved a row behind August before the flight departed Honolulu because of his aggressive behavior. One of her children, 11, was crying and asked a flight attendant, “Can you please just keep him away from us?”

A passenger told law enforcement that August was believed to have been been drinking prior to the flight. The document said he also drank alcohol he brought with him on the plane, ingested a pill and tried to order more alcoholic drinks during the flight.

While meal service was underway, a passenger observed August allegedly making numerous threatening and offensive remarks to his girlfriend and her children, threatening to slice his girlfriend’s throat.

He also threatened other passengers and the flight crew. When a flight attendant asked him to accompany her to a different area of the aircraft, August slapped her shoulder with the back of his hand and refused to move, the document said.

Two other flight attendants removed him from the area, where he continued to yell and swear, repeatedly saying he was going to head back to his seat to punch his girlfriend in the face.