A Frontier Airlines flight heading for Chicago from Puerto Rico was diverted to Miami International Airport after an unruly passenger attempted to open an emergency exit door mid-flight. The individual also went on to try to breach the plane’s cockpit and then choked an off-duty flight attendant, leading to his arrest upon the flight’s arrival in Miami.
A hair-raising mid-air incident on Frontier Airlines flight 3345
According to records from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office and a federal criminal complaint, the Frontier Airlines aircraft had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was around 45 minutes into its flight to Chicago O’Hare Airport when the passenger first became disruptive on board.
Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51, told fellow passengers and crew that he wanted to get off the plane before attempting to open the aircraft’s emergency exit door. After he was prevented from doing so, he began aggressively trying to force open the door of the cockpit instead.
A flight attendant was able to coax Reyes away from the door, but when they allowed him to use the bathroom before returning to his seat, he created a further disturbance by attempting to urinate on the bathroom floor. When he was eventually escorted to a new seat, an off-duty flight attendant volunteered to sit in the same row to help de-escalate the situation.
However, Reyes then grabbed the man’s bag from the floor. When asked to stop, the federal complaint states that this was when Reyes attempted to choke the off-duty flight attendant before being restrained by fellow passengers.
This forced the flight to divert to Miami International Airport, where it landed safely at around 11:55 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
What happened next?
After the plane’s arrival in Miami, Reyes was taken into custody by the local sheriff’s office and turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for questioning.
A spokesperson for Frontier Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement to The Post, also adding that the flight was eventually able to continue its journey to Chicago, and stating:
“Law enforcement boarded the aircraft in Miami and removed the passenger, and the flight subsequently continued on to Chicago a few hours later.”
According to court records, Reyes has now been charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants and assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
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