A Southwest Airlines flight made an unexpected diversion to Little Rock, Arkansas on Saturday to dump an unruly passenger after she bit her seatmate and tried to open the emergency exit door, claiming Jesus told her to do it.
Southwest Airlines Little Rock Diversion – Woman Blames Jesus For Biting Seatmate, Trying To Open Emergency Exit Door At 37,000 Feet
The Southwest Airlines flight, WN192, was heading from Houston William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) to John Glen Columbus International Airport in Ohio (CMH).
A Southwest spokesperson confirmed:
“Flight 192 traveling from Houston to Columbu safety diverted to Little Rock after our Crew observed disruptive behavior from a passenger on the flight.”
Per Southwest, “The crew declared an emergency due to a passenger disturbance.”
The aircraft landed at 3:30 pm local time at Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock and the unruly passenger was removed. The plane was met by both Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers and local law enforcement.
The alleged unruly passenger has been identified as 34-year-old Elom Agbegninou. An FBI spokesperson told NBC News:
“The FBI is the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential assault aboard aircraft violations. We will work closely with the prosecutors at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas to thoroughly investigate this incident and potentially bring federal charges.”
Agbegninou will likely face charges of assault and interference with flight crew members. According to witnesses onboard, she tried to pull the aircraft emergency door open at 37,000 feet. She then shoved a flight attendant who tried to stop her before she was finally tackled and restrained. In the skirmish, she bit the thigh of a fellow passenger who tried to stop her.
Agbegninou later told investors, “Jesus told me to fly to Ohio and Jesus told me to open the plane door.”
Right…
CONCLUSION
Unruly passenger numbers peaked at 5,981 in 2021 but the 2,178 so far in 2022 are still well-above historic pre-pandemic norms.
Even with mandatory masking no longer a root of many disturbances, poor passenger behavior continues to be a major issue on far too many flights. It sounds like Agbegninou is hearing voices in her head…
image: Bill Abbott
Passengers like this should be “dumped” — without diverting.
I miss the old 727’s that had the rear stairway that could be opened in-flight for a DB Cooper-style exit (or passenger dump) in a pinch. Boeing, please consider re-introducing this feature in future jets.
Imagine all the money the airlines could save when some a-hole passenger acts up…you just throttle back, descend below FL12, deploy full flaps, trim the plane for slow-flight, lower the stairway, and give the bum’s rush to the VIP “influencer”. Business done, clean up the airplane, and you’re on your way, on schedule with no worries about crew timing out, outstation issues, or inconvenienced passengers. The savings in fuel alone would pay for it, and it would sure make the morons think twice before seeking their 10 seconds of fame on Twitter. It’s environmentally friendly, think of the children, even Greta would approve.
I’m not kidding.
Have you considered running for public office? Your thinking is logical and concise. No offence intended.
Im not joking.
I second this sentiment 100%. After it happens a few times, the incidents of people acting up on planes wil decrease dramatically.
Traveling today? Normally you have two articles published by now.
I wrote three stories yesterday for today, but have been without internet for over 24 hours due to travel. Catching up now. Just going to publish one more today.
Maybe Jesus should have told her to take her meds.
SOmeone did not take their Medicine!!!
she sounds like republicans/conservatives public office candidate material.
Is Elom M/F. Paragraph 3 is unclear. Not that it matters much. Clearly Elom needs a lot of help. Hugs for Crew and Pax having to deal with this. Hope Elom gets charged.
Female.
“Even with mandatory masking no longer a root of many disturbances”
I don’t think it was ever really about the masks…some people just shouldn’t be flying regardless.
That is probably true, but masks became the rallying cry.
Only for right wing science deniers. For normal citizens, the masks were fine.
It even changed sex during the article.,
“Who tried to stop her before he was finally tackled and restrained…”
Jesus did that..
Yeah right…
Have you seen her picture? Oh my!!!!! She looks definitely someone that are on heavy meds and should not be on a plane.
“ I did nothing of the sort” -Jesus
hey Mathew can you suggest some of most amazing places you ever visited?
Recently returned from Faroe Islands – amazing.
Looks like a crackhead if you check out their image. Seems Southwest is competing with Spirit and Allegiant for the low end crowd.
Only slightly more looney than your average christian…
I know it’s easy to judge someone based on the limited news you read and hear, but I know this family. She has needed help for quite some time and it’s been a real struggle to get her to get help. Mental illness isn’t a game. And it doesn’t mean that the person afflicted is always acting crazy either. Instead of judgement, I encourage us to have compassion. She’s still a human, and she has a tortured mind. I’m saddened beyond words about what has happened and the person that she hurt.
She needs help though, not our condemnation. Hopefully now she will get it.
“In the skirmish, she bit the thigh of a fellow passenger who tried to stop her.”
The “fellow passenger” will need a tetanus shot……maybe rabies as well!!!