Flight attendant hits unruly passenger with coffee pot, stops him from opening plane door: Witness

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Monday, February 14, 2022
Unruly passenger diverts flight from LAX
A flight from LAX to Washington D.C. had to be diverted Sunday afternoon because of an unruly passenger.

LOS ANGELES -- A flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Washington D.C. had to be diverted to Kansas City when a passenger reportedly tried to open the airplane door.

Video from a passenger on the airplane shows a person on the ground at the end of the aisle inside the plane.

The person who recorded the video told ABC7 in Los Angeles that an unruly passenger tried to get into the cockpit of the airplane moments before trying to open the airplane door.

That's when a flight attendant swung a coffee pot at the unruly passenger, hitting him several times and knocking him to the ground where other passengers held him down.

American Airlines released a statement saying:

"We're grateful to our crew members, who are consistently dedicated to the safety and care of our customers, and who handled the circumstances with the utmost skill and professionalism."

American Airlines said flight 1775 landed safely Sunday afternoon at Kansas City International Airport and law enforcement met the plane upon arrival. The FBI said in statement that the passenger was "interfering with the flight crew" and was taken into custody.

Details about the person weren't immediately released.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.