An American Eagle flight from Jacksonville to Washington was diverted to Raleigh, North Carolina after a passenger attempted to breach the cockpit.
“Subject is currently loose in the cabin. He is trying to breach the cockpit. He is being somewhat restrained by flight crew and other passengers,” the crew informed the Raleigh airport, according to air traffic control audio cited by WUSA-TV, a Washington, D.C. CBS affiliate.
American Eagle Flight 3444, flown by regional carrier Envoy Air under the American Eagle brand, landed at Raleigh-Durham International Airport airport at 3:41 p.m., according to flight tracking website FlightAware.
Upon arriving at the gate, passenger Tiffany Miles of Washington, D.C., was taken into custody by law enforcement.
The attempted breach of a cockpit is considered a “Level 4” disruption by the FAA. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted that he had been notified about the incident.
FAA leadership has briefed me on today’s flight diversion due to a Level 4 disruption on board. Thankful to all who helped ensure its safe arrival. As always, safety is our main concern and our top priority. https://t.co/P69GWvI7C3
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) February 23, 2023
The approximately 50 other passengers on the flight, scheduled to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, were sent to D.C. on other flights.
Fellow passenger Kara Rosario told WTVD-TV, a Durham, North Carolina, ABC affiliate, that Ms. Miles was upset with the crew because they were not serving drinks on the flight.
Ms. Miles, meanwhile, says the entire fracas is the result of a misunderstanding.
“I have anxiety. So, sometimes I need a cocktail to cool off and calm down,” she told WRAL-TV, a Raleigh NBC affiliate.
After an airline attendant refused to ask the captain why there was no drink service on the regional flight, Ms. Miles got out of her seat — to go to the bathroom, not charge the cockpit, she says. She was then stopped by flight attendants and fellow passengers.
After returning to her seat, the verbal confrontation between the crew and Ms. Miles continued until flight attendants moved Ms. Miles from her seat to the back of the aircraft, where she was seated and restrained by zip ties until the flight touched down in Raleigh.
Ms. Miles has been charged with a misdemeanor charge of airport obstruction and has been banned from flying out of Raleigh airport in the future.
She was interviewed by the FBI on Wednesday, but there have not been any federal charges yet filed against Ms. Miles.
“I am allowed to get upset. Getting angry is not against the law,” Ms. Miles told WRAL-TV, explaining that she had not expected to be put in jail. She has since bonded out for $1,000 and begun her return to Washington, D.C.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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