A group of passengers taped an unruly passenger mid-flight after he allegedly tried to force open the plane’s door at an altitude of about 10,000 meters, according to US public safety records. obtained by CNN.
The confrontation on Tuesday’s flight from Milwaukee to Dallas-Fort Worth is the latest example of apparent passenger misbehavior – a problem that has worsened for airlines since before the pandemic, with at least 1,854 incidents reported this year. year to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Aboard American Airlines Flight 1915, the unruly passenger told a flight attendant in the front galley on the flight that he wanted — needed — to “get off the plane now,” according to a report from the Department of Public Safety at Dallas International Airport. Fort Worth.
As the man became increasingly agitated and the situation became more tense, the flight attendant shouted to the back of the plane and asked nearby passengers for help, the report says.
Then, when she stepped between the plane’s L1 exit door and the unruly passenger, he ran toward her and the door — injuring her neck and wrist — the same report says.
It was around this time that nearby passengers, including Doug McCright, jumped in, he told CNN affiliate WDJT.
McCright grabbed the unruly passenger from behind and threw him to the ground.
“He was determined, he wanted to get off the plane,” McCright said. “And I was determined, he wasn’t going to leave.”
Using the adhesive tape found on the plane, they tied the unruly passenger by his wrists, knees and ankles, and he remained that way for around 30 minutes.
After the plane landed safely at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, agents from the FBI and the airport’s Department of Public Safety boarded the plane, detained the passenger and took him for mental evaluation.
The FAA is investigating the incident aboard the Airbus A319.
“The safety of our customers and our team members is our top priority and we thank our team members and our customers for managing a difficult situation,” American Airlines said in a statement.
Unruly passengers were a serious problem for airlines before the pandemic – and now it’s even worse.
The FAA has a zero-tolerance policy for unruly passenger behavior, which reached a record high in 2021 with nearly 6,000 incidents reported. They have declined significantly since then, but 2023 still saw more than 2,000 incidents, FAA figures show. That year, just over 400 inspection actions were initiated and 7.5 million in fines were charged to these passengers.
Last month, a man was charged with the unprovoked beating of a passenger aboard a United Airlines flight after repeatedly punching the victim.
In September, a passenger allegedly tried to choke a flight attendant and “said he was going to kill everyone” on board a Frontier Airlines flight. The plane was diverted and the man pleaded not guilty to federal charges, according to court records.
*Christine Sever, Pete Muntean and Marnie Hunter contributed to this article
