American Airlines flight makes emergency landing due to 'unruly' passenger

(The Hill) — An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. made an emergency landing Sunday in Kansas City after a passenger attempted to enter the cockpit and open an exit door.

Crew members and other passengers controlled the unruly passenger until he was taken into custody upon landing, The New York Times reported.

American Airlines said that the flight landed safely and was met by law enforcement upon arrival. The airline added that the plane’s crew “handled the circumstances with the utmost skill and professionalism,” the Times reported.

The Hill has reached out to American Airlines for comment.

Mouaz Moustafa, a passenger on the plane, described the scene to the Times. “A flight attendant ran to the back of the plane and got the coffee pot and continues to bash the guy on the head,” Moustafa told the newspaper, adding the man was “bleeding profusely.”

“I honestly thought today I might die,” Moustafa added.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported it has recently seen “disturbing increase in incidents where airline passengers have disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior.”

As of Feb. 8, the agency said it has seen 394 unruly passenger reports and 255 mask-related incidents this year.

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In November, Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered the Department of Justice (DOJ) to prioritize prosecuting violent airplane passengers.

“Passengers who assault, intimidate or threaten violence against flight crews and flight attendants do more than harm those employees; they prevent the performance of critical duties that help ensure safe air travel,” Garland said at the time.

“Similarly, when passengers commit violent acts against other passengers in the close confines of a commercial aircraft, the conduct endangers everyone aboard,” he added.