A U.S. couple is suing United Airlines for allegedly over-serving alcohol to a husband who then beat his wife while intoxicated, the Chicago Tribune reported Dec. 17.

The suit alleges that the airline served Yoichi Shimamoto red wine every 20 minutes on a flight from Japan to California in December 2006. Later, while going through customs, Shimamoto was arrested for disorderly conduct and battery after hitting his wife, Ayisha, six times in the face.

Yoichi "could not manage himself" due to United serving him too much alcohol, the couple alleged in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Tampa. The couple said in their complaint that the airline's "conduct was egregious because it knew or should have known that over-serving a passenger alcohol on an international flight would have negative consequences," and that their conduct "was deliberate, reckless, intentional, and done with disregard for plaintiffs and all passengers."

Yoichi Shimamoto was sentenced to 18 months' probation, and the couple wants United to pay the costs of bail, defense and immigration attorneys' fees, and other expenses associated with the case.

Bars and restaurants deal with similar lawsuits because they are held responsible for the harmful actions of inebriated patrons under dram-shop laws, but it is unclear if those laws apply to alcohol service on airline flights.

"We believe that a lawsuit that suggests that we are somehow responsible for the consequences of a passenger's physical assault on his own wife is without any merit whatsoever," said Jean Medina, a spokesperson for United.