Oxman
Well-Known Member
http://rantsofasassystew.com/2015/10/plane-returns-to-lax-after-man-chokes-woman/
A Southwest Airlines jetliner returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after one passenger choked another during an argument over a reclined seat, according to NBC News.
Airport police said San Francisco-bound Flight 2010 left the gate around 10:25 p.m. Sunday and returned half an hour later.
The pilot doubled back after a man began choking the woman sitting in front of him, who had reclined her seat, NBC News’ Tom Costello reports.
“Evidently, we’ve got two passengers who are in a physical altercation, so we need to get turned around back to LAX,” the pilot told air-traffic control in a radio transmission obtained by NBC News.
NBC News reports the pilot declared an in-air emergency, but airport police said the plane never took off.
Southwest Airlines cited a “rapidly escalating situation between two passengers” and said the FBI has taken over the investigation.
“Flight attendants swiftly coordinated with pilots on the flight deck to get the aircraft on the ground safely and quickly after a physical altercation by one passenger against another,” the airline said in a statement Monday morning.
Police were waiting when the plane returned to the gate, photos from the scene reveal. Witnesses said the man was removed from the flight.
“An individual was detained for questioning following the return of a SW aircraft to LAX based on allegations of an assault involving a fellow passenger,” FBI Public Affairs Specialist Laura Eimiller said in a statement. “No arrest has been made at this time and the investigation is continuing. The flight left for San Francisco shortly after midnight as I understand.”
The remaining 136 passengers arrived in San Francisco about five hours after the flight’s scheduled arrival time, Costello reports.
A Southwest Airlines jetliner returned to the gate at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after one passenger choked another during an argument over a reclined seat, according to NBC News.
Airport police said San Francisco-bound Flight 2010 left the gate around 10:25 p.m. Sunday and returned half an hour later.
The pilot doubled back after a man began choking the woman sitting in front of him, who had reclined her seat, NBC News’ Tom Costello reports.
“Evidently, we’ve got two passengers who are in a physical altercation, so we need to get turned around back to LAX,” the pilot told air-traffic control in a radio transmission obtained by NBC News.
NBC News reports the pilot declared an in-air emergency, but airport police said the plane never took off.
Southwest Airlines cited a “rapidly escalating situation between two passengers” and said the FBI has taken over the investigation.
“Flight attendants swiftly coordinated with pilots on the flight deck to get the aircraft on the ground safely and quickly after a physical altercation by one passenger against another,” the airline said in a statement Monday morning.
Police were waiting when the plane returned to the gate, photos from the scene reveal. Witnesses said the man was removed from the flight.
“An individual was detained for questioning following the return of a SW aircraft to LAX based on allegations of an assault involving a fellow passenger,” FBI Public Affairs Specialist Laura Eimiller said in a statement. “No arrest has been made at this time and the investigation is continuing. The flight left for San Francisco shortly after midnight as I understand.”
The remaining 136 passengers arrived in San Francisco about five hours after the flight’s scheduled arrival time, Costello reports.