Airline Passenger Attacks Flight Attendant, Storms Cockpit Door
A rowdy passenger on a United Airlines regional flight last week was arrested after allegedly attacking an attendant and trying to enter the cockpit of the plane.
According to ABCNews.com, Matthew Dingley was on a United Express flight operated by CommutAir from Washington Dulles International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport on January 9 when he reportedly started acting erratically.
As the flight approached its New Jersey destination, Dingley allegedly sprinted toward the cockpit and began pounding on the door with his hands. A flight attendant stepped in to stop the man and was also attacked, with witnesses saying he was punching the “slight woman” repeatedly.
One of the passengers on the plane who had previous law enforcement experience helped bring the situation under control, but the trouble was just starting for Dingley. When the plane landed safely, it was met by police officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Instead of going peacefully, Dingley reportedly picked up the first officer he saw and threw him down before a total of six agents had to use force to control the man. In total, all six of the officers were injured during the incident and the flight attendant was transported to a local hospital.
Police said Dingley was charged with aggravated assault, criminal trespassing, resisting arrest and interfering with transportation. A CommutAir spokesperson released a statement about the incident:
“CommutAir flight 4965, operating as United Express from Washington Dulles to Newark, landed without incident and was met by local law enforcement due to a disruptive passenger. Our primary concern is always to ensure the safety of all customers and crew and we are cooperating with authorities. We express our gratitude for the quick reaction of our passengers and crew who responded during this incident.”
Last week, a group of airline passengers in India who were frustrated after being stuck inside a plane during an extended delay reportedly began banging on the cockpit door and harassing crew members.