A regional jet made an emergency landing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after a passenger attempted to open an emergency exit door and got into an altercation with a flight attendant. The Delta Connection flight, operated by SkyWest Airlines, was en route from Omaha to Detroit when the incident occurred. Police charged 23-year-old Mario Nikprelaj with multiple offenses, including threatening a flight attendant and drug-related charges. SkyWest enforced a zero-tolerance policy for unruly behavior, emphasizing passenger safety amid growing incidents of such disturbances in the US.
A passenger was "in a fight with our flight attendant right now, trying to open the emergency exit," the pilot radioed the tower at Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids.
Police charged 23-year-old Mario Nikprelaj, of Nebraska with five counts, including threatening and shoving a flight attendant, disorderly conduct as well as two drug charges related to 41 pills Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax.
SkyWest has zero tolerance for unruly behavior as safety for our customers and crew is our top priority.
So far this year there have been more than 870 reports of unruly passengers on planes in the US, according to FAA data.
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