A cross country American Airlines flight made an unplanned stop after a passenger allegedly attacked a member of the crew.
American Airlines Flight 976 was headed from New York’s JFK Airport to Orange County, California, when it was diverted to Denver International Airport, according to the airline. The passenger allegedly assaulted a flight attendant during the flight, and the crew landed in Denver so law enforcement could meet the plane, according to reports from ABC News and CBS News.
Details about the flight attendant’s condition were limited at first, though the airline said the crew member was injured and was being cared for.
In a statement, American Airlines said the passenger will be banned from flying with the airline in the future and that it wants him prosecuted. “Acts of violence against our team members will not be tolerated,” the airline said.
The passenger’s name had not been released, and no charges had been announced at the time.
The incident came during a rough year for air travel. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, hundreds of investigations had been opened in 2021 into unruly passenger behavior, and the agency had proposed more than $1 million in fines against passengers.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
