An American Airlines flight was diverted just before the start of Super Bowl Sunday and a bloodied man was handcuffed and arrested, according to reports.
American Airlines flight AA1775 departing LAX to DC was diverted to Kansas City International Airport because, according to FBI Kansas City’s Special Agent Charles Dayoub, a passenger was “interfering with the flight crew.”
According to reports, a few passengers noticed a man acting out of sorts, pacing the aisle of the airplane during the flight. Suddenly, the person attempted to open the exit door to the airplane while at cruising altitude, endangering everyone on board. He then tried to break into the cockpit.
Flight crew was alerted and one employee grabbed a glass coffee pot, sprinting to the front of the plane. The disorderly passenger still appeared to be acting out of control, so the attendant struck him with the glass pot. The flight attendant, “continues to bash the guy on the head,” passenger Mouaz Moustafa told The New York Times.
Passengers and staff joined together to subdue the man and subsequently, the American Airlines flight was immediately diverted.
The pilot made a quick descent to Kansas City International Airport. The descent was so fast, in fact, that some passengers believed the plane was going down.
Once the plane arrived at the terminal, police and FBI boarded the aircraft and the passenger was removed, bloodied and in handcuffs.
Upon exiting the aircraft, some passengers immediately scheduled another flight, trying their best not to miss much of the big game. Others apparently celebrated with beer and probably a quick score check. “We are drinking and thankful,” tweeted passenger Karen Alson.
American Airlines has since released a statement praising their fast-acting flight crew.
“We’re grateful to our crew members, who are consistently dedicated to the safety and care of our customers and who handled the circumstances with the utmost skill and professionalism,” the statement read.
