### Passengers Subdue Unruly Man Attempting to Open Plane Door Mid-Flight

In an alarming incident this week, Valorous passengers aboard an American Airlines flight from Milwaukee to Dallas-Fort Worth subdued an individual who allegedly tried to force open a cabin door while the aircraft was at 30,000 feet. This episode adds to a growing list of air travel disturbances, which have surged significantly since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the flight on American Airlines 1915, the agitated passenger initially approached a flight attendant, expressing an urgent desire to exit the plane. As his behavior became more erratic, the flight attendant sought assistance from nearby passengers. According to a report by the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Department of Public Safety, the passenger then attempted to rush toward the front exit, injuring the flight attendant in the process.

Doug McCright, one of the passengers who intervened, described the tense moments to CNN affiliate WDJT. "He was bound and determined, he wanted off that plane. I was bound and determined, he wasn't getting off that plane," McCright recounted. McCright and others managed to pin the individual to the ground, using duct tape to secure his wrists, knees, and ankles until the plane safely landed.

Upon arrival at Dallas-Fort Worth airport, FBI agents and public safety personnel took the disruptive man into custody for a mental evaluation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will conduct an investigation into the incident.

According to FAA statistics, there have been over 2,000 incidents of unruly passengers in 2023, with more than 400 enforcement actions initiated and fines amounting to $7.5 million levied. This incident follows another recent high-profile case in which a passenger was charged after allegedly attacking another on a United Airlines flight, and yet another where an individual reportedly attempted to choke a flight attendant on a Frontier Airlines flight.

American Airlines expressed gratitude for the timely and decisive actions of both its crew and passengers, reinforcing that passenger and crew safety is their top priority.