Florida Woman Causes Flight to Divert After Faking a Medical Problem

A Florida woman, uncomfortable in her seat on an American Airlines flight, faked a medical condition in the hopes of getting a bigger, better seat.

Now she has much bigger problems.

Believing her story that she had trouble breathing, the pilot declared an emergency and turned the plane back to where it took off at Pensacola International Airport, where the woman later admitted it was a hoax.

The flight was heading for Miami and took off at 5:43 a.m. on Friday, an airline spokesman told Newsweek. Less than 45 minutes later, the plane landed back at Pensacola after the unidentified woman said she was having trouble breathing.

When the plane arrived, the woman fessed up. A Pensacola Police spokesman, Mike Wood, told Newsweek the woman’s physical stature was on the “large” side and she was not comfortable in her seat. She faked the medical problem hoping to be moved to another seat or even another plane once it arrived back in Pensacola.

Once back on the ground, she initially refused to get off the plane until she was convinced by the pilot and police to disembark.

No charges have been filed but the woman is being held at a mental health facility pending further evaluation.

According to American Airlines, “All passengers deplaned normally at the gate through the main boarding door and onto the jet bridge. The passenger was subsequently removed by law enforcement and medical personnel, and the flight took off again at 7.41 a.m.”