Frontier Airlines flight diverted due to disruptive passenger
Julia Buckley, CNN
It may be a new year, but there’s no new behavior when it comes to unruly passengers in the skies.
Since 2022 began, we’ve seen a transatlantic flight turned around because of a mask dispute, another plane turning back due to disruptive passengers on a long-haul flight, and partying passengers stranded in Cancun with airlines unwilling to take them home after their behavior on the flight over.
And it looks like the behavior has continued into February, with a US flight being diverted due to a disruptive passenger.
The Frontier Airlines plane was traveling from New York LaGuardia to Orlando, but was forced to divert to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina.
The airport announced the unexpected arrival in a statement, saying it was down to a “disruptive passenger.”
Frontier flight 1335 took off early, shortly before 6 p.m., and was scheduled to arrive at 9:11 p.m. at Orlando.
However, it was diverted to RDU at approximately 8:15 p.m., with RDU law enforcement, fire-rescue and Wake County EMS responding, the airport said.
At about 9:40 p.m., the flight was able to resume its journey to Orlando, according to RDU.
It finally arrived at its destination at 11.10 p.m..
A video — which CNN has so far been unable to verify — appears to show a shouting man being subdued by a group of fellow passengers. One passenger told local media that the man had been threatening others on board.
The news comes just a day after an American Airlines flight from North Carolina to Los Angeles was diverted to New Mexico overnight after a passenger made a “threatening statement” to a crew member.
CNN has reached out to Frontier Airlines for more information.
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Additional reporting by CNN’s Chris Boyette, Michelle Watson and Gregory Wallace
