DENVER – Alaska Airlines Flight 769 from Boston to San Diego was diverted to Denver International Airport Tuesday night due to an unruly passenger.
A man was intoxicated and became disruptive, according to Ann Zaninovich with Alaska Airlines.
"The crew asked him to calm down, (he) became agitated and verbally abusive," Zainovich told KMGH.
Passengers told KMGH that the man brought his own alcohol on the plane, and when flight attendants told him he couldn't drink it, he started yelling, "I'm not a terrorist," and, "We're going to die."
The man tried going to the front of the plane, but others stood in the aisle and stopped him, travelers said. He reportedly started threatening people, saying he was going to "cut their throats" with a box cutter.
"It was a little unnerving at first, because he started yelling, 'we're all going to die. You're all going to die.' But then we realized he was just a really drunk guy who was just out of control," Claire Conroy said.
"He had gotten up and was going towards the captain, so I got up, and stood in front of him and said, 'You're not getting by me. And I prevented him from going and farther," Nick Leto told KMGH.
The pilot landed in Denver at around 8:30 p.m. Central time.
Within minutes, passengers started tweeting. Video from Rebecca Shepard showed Denver Police officers escorting the man off the plane. No one was hurt.
Insane drunk or drug fueled dude being removed from our @AlaskaAir plane after disturbing several passengers. pic.twitter.com/f1ugZr65lp
— Rebecca Shepard (@mamashepesq) February 10, 2016
Kudos to the flight crew on @alaskaair flight crew for handling a disaster of a passenger as well as they did.
— Claire (@ClaireConroy2) February 10, 2016
Getting ready to head to CA.Again.down one passenger..loved that he thought the cops were his car service and asked to get his luggage home
— Claire (@ClaireConroy2) February 10, 2016
So far, no charges have been filed. After a 45-minute delay, the flight continued on to San Diego. It landed at Lindbergh Field just after 10 p.m.
