- American Airlines flight diverted to Baltimore due to an unruly passenger incident
- Passenger became aggressive, assaulted a fellow traveler mid-flight
- Retired officers restrained the passenger using zip ties and duct tape
A routine American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark descended into chaos after an unruly passenger suffered a violent breakdown thousands of feet in the air, forcing cabin crew and fellow travellers to take extreme measures to regain control. According to CBS News, the flight had to make an unexpected stop in Baltimore late Thursday night due to the passenger. Witnesses report that the passenger suddenly became aggressive, screaming at crew members, and physically striking a passenger sitting next to him. As per the reports, his behaviour put everyone at risk.
Eyewitnesses later revealed what exactly happened. Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, and Richard Olenick told the media that the chaos unfolded about two hours into the flight.
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"Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos," Mejia said, as quoted by the media outlet.
"I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him."
They jumped in to help restrain the unruly passenger, whose identity was not revealed.
Mejia and Olenick used zip ties and flexible handcuffs provided by a flight attendant, and physically secured him to a first-class seat by wrapping duct tape around him.
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Airline responds to the incident
The plane landed safely in Newark. American Airlines later released a statement confirming the incident, commending the crew's quick action to ensure the safety of the flight, and emphasising that disruptive behaviour will face strict legal consequences.
"The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding," American Airlines said in a statement.
Upon landing, local law enforcement and emergency medical personnel boarded the aircraft immediately to take the individual into custody.
"The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed," the FBI said in a statement to CBS News.
