A Delta Air Lines flight enroute to Taiwan was diverted to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Alaska, after alleged unruly behaviour by a passenger. The airline filed a complaint, alleging that the passenger used discriminatory language towards staff onboard.
Delta Air Lines diverted to Anchorage, Alaska
The Airbus A350-900, a Delta aircraft (DL69) to Taiwan, took off from Seattle on Saturday, March 14, at 4:55 p.m. local time. The airline reported that the incident happened around 7:25 p.m., while DL69 was over the Pacific Ocean.
A passenger named Malcom Martin allegedly used racial slurs towards a flight attendant. This created chaos and turned into a serious in-flight security threat.
According to the Alaska News Source, Martin grabbed the crew members shoulder and asked if the lavatory was occupied. This led to a verbal spat between Martin and the attendant.
Following this, the cockpit door was closed, and the pilots had a discussion with Delta authorities before diverting the flight to ANC, Alaska.
Delta Air Lines released a statement:
“Per our procedures to ensure the safety and security of our customers and people, an unruly passenger was removed from the flight upon diverting to Anchorage. We apologise to our customers on board for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience.”
The flight landed at ANC at 9:30 p.m. local time, according to AirNav Radar.
What happened next
After arriving at ANC, Martin was arrested and charged with interfering with flight crew members – a federal offence that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison in the U.S..
Investigation officers had a brief review with the passengers and the flight crew. They also collected the videos from passengers.
Following an investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent revealed that, in the video, he could see Martin near the lavatory and having a heated conversation with the crew member but did not see any offensive actions.
Martin was taken to an airport interview room, informed of his rights, arrested and booked into the Anchorage Correctional Complex.
The airline apologised to the passengers, and later the flight departed from ANC at 10:44 p.m. local time to Taiwan.
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