Passengers and crews confront turbulence and midair disturbances on multiple flights
Passengers and flight crews faced a series of frightening incidents in the skies, including severe turbulence and separate disturbances that forced crews and travelers to restrain passengers.
(NBC)- Passengers and flight crews faced a series of frightening incidents in the skies, including severe turbulence and separate disturbances that forced crews and travelers to restrain passengers.
Video posted by a passenger aboard a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Tunisia showed people screaming as the aircraft encountered severe turbulence.
The passenger said the plane attempted to land three times before suddenly dropping. Stormy weather eventually forced the pilot to land at a different airport.
A separate incident unfolded Friday aboard a Qatar Airways flight from Australia to Qatar.
Video showed flight attendants working to restrain two men who the airline said were “involved in a physical altercation.”
A witness told 7NEWS Australia the disturbance began about halfway through the flight. At least one of the men allegedly headbutted and spat at crew members and claimed to have a gun.
It took at least six people to restrain the pair using handcuffs and zip ties. Passengers applauded as authorities escorted the men off the plane after it arrived in Doha.
“The safety and wellbeing of our crew and passengers remain our highest priority,” Qatar Airways said in a statement to NBC News.
The incident came days after another disturbance aboard an American Airlines flight traveling from Dallas to Newark that was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
Video shared by TMZ showed a man duct-taped to his seat. Passengers said the man yelled racial and homophobic slurs before becoming physical with other passengers.
Maryland authorities charged Arthur Lundeen with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
Flight attendants used zip ties and tape to restrain him before two passengers stepped in to help.
