Unruly Passenger Jumps Onto Tarmac at Phoenix Airport

A disruptive passenger opened a plane door and jumped onto the tarmac at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in a bold attempt to evade law enforcement Friday morning.

According to American Airlines flight 1346 from Minneapolis shortly after it landed in Phoenix around 6:12 a.m. local time.

“American had requested law enforcement meet flight 1346 upon arrival in Phoenix due to a disruptive passenger. Once the flight arrived at the gate, the passenger opened one of the doors and jumped off the aircraft. Law enforcement and paramedics responded,” the airline said in a statement.

Hannah Johnson, a passenger who was on the flight, said the man began to cause problems about an hour into the trip. She said he was swearing and acting aggressively toward other passengers. Flight attendants attempted to calm the man down and move his seat.

Johnson said the man tried to stand up just minutes before landing and later attempted to make a run for it once the plane came to a stop, hitting other passengers including Johnson.

Friday’s incident comes just days after an Alaska Airlines passenger forced a cross-country flight to divert to Chicago after lighting a cigarette and becoming “belligerent.”