A regional jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Thursday evening after a passenger attempted to open an emergency exit door and got into a physical altercation with a flight attendant.
The incident occurred aboard Delta Connection flight 3612, operated by SkyWest Airlines, en route from Omaha to Detroit. The disturbance happened around 7 p.m. local time, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“He’s in a fight with our flight attendant right now, trying to open the emergency exit,” the pilot radioed air traffic control at Eastern Iowa Airport, as captured in a recording by LiveATC.net.
The passenger did not succeed in opening the door. The plane landed safely in Cedar Rapids and taxied to the gate without further incident.
Video footage shared on social media shows law enforcement officers escorting the man off the aircraft with his hands restrained behind his back.
“SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly behavior, as safety for our customers and crew is our top priority,” the airline stated.
According to FAA data, there have been over 870 reports of unruly passengers on U.S. flights so far this year. Consequences for such behavior may include fines, imprisonment, and travel bans.
