Thursday, October 28, 2021
An American Airlines flight was diverted evening after a passenger reportedly assaulted a flight attendant.
Flight No. 976 had departed New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and was headed to John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, but was diverted to Denver because of the incident, the airline said.
The law enforcement apprehended the passenger at the gate, according to American Airlines.
The airline did not provide additional details or the flight attendant’s condition.
The acts of violence against our team members will not be tolerated by American Airlines.
The individual involved in this incident will never be allowed to travel with American Airlines in the future, but we will not be satisfied until he has been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. This behaviour must stop, and aggressive enforcement and prosecution of the law is the best deterrent.
The passenger’s identity has not been released, and no details were immediately available about charges.
Denver Airport Police confirmed the flight was diverted into Denver around 6 p.m. and said the FBI is investigating. The flight left Denver for Orange County about 9:30 p.m., according to American Airlines.
The reports of unruly behaviour on planes, including violence against crew members, have increased since the start of the pandemic.
The data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration show 923 investigations have been initiated this year into violations of specific regulations or federal laws.
The number is up from 183 last year and 146 in 2019. Prior to 2021, the most investigations initiated in the 26-year period dating back to 1995 was 310 in 2004.
Tags: airlines, American Airlines
Saturday, April 27, 2024
