Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Disorderly Man Aboard LAX Flight Is Disorderly, Military Scrambles Fighter Jet Escorts
An American Airlines jet at LAX. Photo by tomms via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
()
On Friday, officials in the U.S. Air Force scrambled two F-22 fighter jets to escort an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu, aboard which a Turkish passenger had grown especially disorderly—apparently enough to be considered a risk to national security. When the airplane landed safely in Hawaii, FBI agents detained and arrested 25-year-old Anil Uskanil, according to Reuters.
Passengers report how, midway through the flight, Uskanil attempted to force his way into the first class cabin with a laptop computer clutched to his chest, and a blanket draped over his head. As the Washington Post reports, a flight attendant saw him coming and said "You're not coming in here." She advanced to the aircraft's bulkhead, blocked the aisle with a drink cart, and continued saying "Sir, please stop. Sir, I need you to go back to your seat."
Evidently, Uskanil didn't want to return to his seat. As the flight attendant blocked the aircraft's aisle with her cart, other passengers grabbed Uskanil and forcibly returned him to his seat in the back of the aircraft, in row 35. Though KTLA reports Uskanil did not resist the other passengers taking him back to the seat, the passengers and flight crew duct-taped him to his seat, where he stayed for the remainder of the flight.
Because of Uskanil's disorderly conduct, the U.S. Pacific Command dispatched a pair of F-22 fighter jets to escort the American Airlines flight to Honolulu. As a spokesman explained to Reuters, "the F-22s escorted the airliner to the airport in accordance with homeland defense procedures." When the aircraft landed, federal agents boarded the plane and took Uskanil into custody.
Support for LAist comes from
Coincidentally, Uskanil's Friday afternoon arrest in Hawaii was his second arrest of the day. As the Los Angeles Times reports, Uskanil was arrested In the wee hours of Friday morning, and cited by Los Angeles Airport Police for opening a door that led to the LAX tarmac. At around 2:45 on Friday morning, an airport contractor spotted Uskanil opening the door, and detained him until LAX Airport Police arrived. Uskanil reportedly said that he had been drinking, and had lost his way about inside the airport.
Uskanil was cited with misdemeanor trespassing for the first incident, though was cleared to fly on the morning flight to Honolulu. Charges for his disorderly conduct in the skies have not yet been formally filed, however an FBI agent told reporters that charges are likely.
Just think, the last time I flew from LAX to Honolulu, the most notable thing that happened was the large man in front of me who immediately reclined his seat all the way back, and then argued with the flight-attendant when he requested the man return his seat back to the upright position for takeoff.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake. -
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
Best of LAist