A flight from Tokyo to Houston was diverted to Seattle on Saturday due to an incident involving a passenger attempting to open two exit doors during the journey. The FBI, along with a spokesperson for the Port of Seattle, confirmed that the crew and other passengers intervened and restrained the individual, who was subsequently taken to a hospital for evaluation after the flight landed.
All Nippon Airways Flight 114 was en route from Haneda Airport in Japan to George Bush Intercontinental Airport when it was diverted because of this “unruly passenger.” The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner had been airborne for approximately 10 hours prior to its landing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport around 4 am local time.
Port of Seattle Police were summoned to the scene following reports of the disturbance. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the crew or other passengers. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the diversion was indeed related to a passenger disturbance.
Upon arrival in Seattle, another passenger displayed unruly behaviour while on the tarmac, expressing frustration over the flight’s diversion by punching the bathroom door, as noted by the FBI. This person was escorted off the aircraft without further incident. At this time, no legal charges have been filed in relation to these disturbances.
Following the events in Seattle, the flight resumed its journey to Houston, landing shortly before 1 pm local time without any further issues.
The occurrence aligns with a broader trend of rising in-flight disturbances. In the United States, the FAA maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy regarding such behaviour. Although reports of incidents peaked in 2021 with nearly 6,000 occurrences, numbers have since decreased significantly; however, over 2,000 incidents were still reported in 2023 alone. The FAA also took enforcement actions against unruly passengers, imposing over $11.5 million in fines this year alone.
Past incidents of unruly passenger behaviour highlight the ongoing challenges faced by airline crews, including attempts to forcefully open doors and violent confrontations between passengers.