Delta Flight Diverted to Louisiana with F-16s

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Delta Flight Diverted to Louisiana with F-16s

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Delta Airlines flight from Atlanta to Los Angeles landed safely in Shreveport, Louisiana on Wednesday, escorted by U.S. fighter jets, after the pilot reported a disturbance on board, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said. FAA spokesman William Schumann said Delta Flight 357, a Boeing 757, landed in Shreveport Regional Airport at 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EDT).

Schumann did not know if the passengers had been taken off the plane or if law enforcement officers were on the scene.

A Delta spokeswoman said the flight was diverted due to a "passenger incident" and that the passenger was being interviewed by federal authorities

http://www.abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20011010_500.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 10, 2001

Answers

Delta Flight Lands with F-16 Escort After Threat LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Delta Air Lines jet from Atlanta to Los Angeles was diverted to Louisiana, escorted by U.S. fighter jets, on Wednesday after a passenger passed a threatening note to a flight attendant, authorities said.

Delta Flight 357, a Boeing 757 with 148 people on board, landed safely at Shreveport Regional Airport at about 3 p.m. local time (4 p.m. EDT), where the passenger was arrested by FBI (news - web sites) agents, U.S. Attorney's spokeswoman Vicki Chance said.

``The passenger handed a threatening note to the flight attendant, she alerted the pilot and he requested clearance to land here in Shreveport,'' Chance said.

The jetliner was escorted by at least two F-16 fighter jets that scrambled to intercept it as it prepared for an emergency landing in Shreveport.

Chance said the man, who she believed was a U.S. citizen, was being questioned by FBI agents and would likely face federal charges of interfering with a flight crew.

She said it was not immediately clear if the man was subdued on the plane by crew members or other passengers and added that she did not know the nature of the threat.

Delta spokeswoman Cindi Kurczewski said the other 138 passengers remained on board the plane and continued on to Los Angeles after refueling.

Shreveport Regional Airport, which operates mainly commuter connections to larger fields like Dallas-Fort Worth, continued to operate despite the emergency landing.

The manager of an aviation fuel and services company at the airport said police and national guard troops surrounded the plane after it pulled up to a terminal gate.

Let me guess what the note said: If you don't let me get up (due to barely noticeable turbulance) and use the restroom, I'm going to wet the seat.

-- Guy Daley (guydaley1@netzero.net), October 10, 2001.


LOL,I love the levity in the closing statement!!!

-- Steve (ke6bjd@yahoo.com), October 10, 2001.

A different report (I didn't flag it for x-posting here, sorry) said the note was "Don't fly over Texas." The stew went forward (checking with pilot one supposes), came back a moment later and told the man "We take these things seriously" and he replied "you should. Don't fly over Texas." At that point, they called it in and landed the plane with mil escort.

At least this is what I recall reading an hour ago.

-- Andre Weltman (aweltman@state.pa.us), October 11, 2001.


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