Two US fighter jets were summoned to escort a flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii after an unruly man was subdued by passengers and flight attendants, who had to use a drink cart to block him from the front of the plane.
The man, later identified as Anil Uskanil, 25, of Turkey, was duct-taped to his seat until the plane landed in Honolulu and federal agents boarded the plane and arrested him, passenger Lee Lorenzen said.
"The flight attendants just were really heroic," Lorenzen said. "By the time we landed and the FBI took him into custody, he was very mellow."
American Airlines Flight 31 landed safely with 181 passengers and six crew members aboard, airline spokeswoman Katie Cody said.
Uskanil had already been arrested hours earlier at Los Angeles International Airport for opening a door that led onto an airfield ramp, according to Los Angeles Airport Police, who provided Uskanil's identity to The Associated Press.
Police say Uskanil had been drinking but didn't meet the criteria to be arrested for it. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanour trespassing and given a date to appear in court.
US Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly was briefed on the midair disturbance, according to a statement from the department. There are no other reports of disruptions, but the department said it is monitoring all flights Friday out of caution.
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