American Airlines flight diverted to RDU, canceled after passenger disrupts flight
WRAL News learned American Airlines flight 3444 was canceled Wednesday after a passenger forced the flight to divert to Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
According to an official at RDU, flight 3444, from Jacksonville, Fla., to Washington, D.C. diverted to RDU due to a disruptive passenger. The Federal Aviation Administration put the airport on a ground stop just after 3:30 p.m., which meant no flights could land at RDU.
Traffic returned to normal at RDU sometime after 4 p.m.
American Airlines said agents helped the 50 passengers of the flight get booked on alternate flights to D.C. None of the passengers were injured.
The plane arrived at gate C9, where law enforcement took the disruly passenger into custody.
According to the FBI, the Charlotte Field Office responded to the airport and said the FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather facts. The FAA is also investigating the incident.
RDU police charged Tiffany Michelle Miles, 36, with a misdemeanor charge of illegal airport obstruction.
The FBI said they will discuss with the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Eastern District of North Carolina to determine if there will be additional charges.
The FAA halted takeoffs and and landings just after 3:30 p.m.
According to the FAA, "ground stop" is an air traffic control measure that slows or halts the flow of aircraft inbound to a given airport. In other words, a ground stop is the halting of departing aircraft destined for one particular airport or for a specific geographic area.
