November 22, 2024

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An American Airlines flight was diverted to Raleigh-Durham Airport due to passenger inconveniences

An American Airlines flight was diverted to Raleigh-Durham Airport due to passenger inconveniences

(CNN) American Airlines Flight 3444 was diverted to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on Wednesday due to a passenger breakdown, according to the North Carolina airport.

“At approximately 3:41 p.m., Flight AA 3444 departed from Jacksonville for Washington, D.C., and diverted to RDU due to the disruption of a passenger,” the airport said in a statement. Upon landing, the aircraft was directed to Gate C9 where law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft and detained the suspect.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Embraer E-170 was en route from Jacksonville International Airport in Florida to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington.

The airline said in a statement that the diversion was “due to security concerns involving an unruly customer”.

A source familiar with the incident told CNN that the passenger was having a panic attack.

According to the airport, the plane has been cleared to resume its flight to Washington, D.C., and RDU has returned to normal operations.

The FBI said its Charlotte, North Carolina, office is investigating and “will consult with the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina to determine whether to file federal charges.”

On a Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority police audio scanner, officers can be heard saying that the passenger “attempted to penetrate the cockpit” and that he was “somewhat restrained by the cabin crew and other passengers”.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg chirp Wednesday night he was briefed on a “Level 4 disturbance” on the American Airlines flight. According to the FAA, Level 4 turbulence is “an attempted or actual breach of the flight deck.”

The Federal Aviation Administration — which is investigating the crash — said in a tweet that it was working on a rule that would require new planes to have a second bulkhead on the flight deck.

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“In the past year, we have made progress requiring new aircraft to place a second flight deck barrier after the rule was discontinued under the previous administration. We are working quickly to issue the final rule,” the FAA statement said.

Last year, there were more than 2,300 reports of disorderly passenger behavior, according to FAA statistics. Of those, 80 cases have been referred to the FBI for criminal review.