American Airlines flight heading to DC diverted to North Carolina due to disruptive passenger – WTOP News

American Airways flight 3444 was diverted to Raleigh-Durham Worldwide Airport Wednesday resulting from a disruptive passenger, in line with the North Carolina airport.

“At roughly 3:41 p.m., flight AA 3444 departing Jacksonville to Washington, DC, diverted to RDU resulting from a disruptive passenger,” the airport mentioned in a press release. “Upon touchdown, the aircraft was directed to gate C9 the place legislation enforcement boarded the plane and took the suspect into custody.”

The Federal Aviation Administration mentioned, “The Embraer E170 was flying from Jacksonville Worldwide Airport in Florida to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport.

The airline mentioned in a press release that the diversion was “resulting from a safety concern involving an unruly buyer.”

The passenger was a lady who was having a panic assault, a supply acquainted with the incident instructed CNN.

In response to the airport, the aircraft was cleared to renew its flight to Washington, DC, and RDU has returned to regular operations.

The FBI mentioned its Charlotte, North Carolina, workplace is investigating and “will seek the advice of with the US Legal professional’s Workplace of the Japanese District of North Carolina to find out if federal costs will likely be filed.”

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg tweeted Wednesday night time that he was briefed on “a Degree 4 disruption” on the American Airways flight. A Degree 4 disruption is an “tried or precise breach of the flight deck,” in line with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The FAA — which is investigating the incident — mentioned in a tweet they’re engaged on a rule that may require new planes to have a second barrier to the flight deck.

“Final yr, we made progress to require new planes to have a second barrier to the flight deck after the rule stalled beneath the earlier administration. We’re working shortly to difficulty the ultimate rule,” the FAA assertion mentioned.

Final yr there have been greater than 2,300 studies of unruly passenger habits, in line with FAA statistics. Of these, 80 instances have been referred to the FBI for legal evaluation.

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