Aggressive American Passenger Causes Fight, Triggers Dutch Air Force Escort
The Dutch military was called in to intervene when an aggressive American passenger on board a KLM flight caused a fight to erupt mid-journey.
KLM Flight 452 from Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam was about 30 minutes from landing on Saturday when a scuffle broke out between the aggressive passenger and cabin crew. As a result of the fight, the Dutch air force deployed two F-16 fighter jets to escort the Airbus A330-200.
"A 29-year-old American man became aggressive after being asked by a purser to return to his seat," said Joanna Helmonds, a spokesperson for the gendarmerie, which serves as the Netherlands' border police. "A scuffle broke out and the cabin crew, together with other passengers, managed to restrain the man."
The KLM flight was given special clearance to land immediately at AMS. Upon landing, the man was arrested by police, examined at the airport and determined by police to come across as disoriented. Helmonds told AFP that the man was admitted to a psychiatric institution for observation.
A number of passengers experienced light injuries, including two who were given black eyes during the altercation.
A spokesperson from KLM told AFP that the airline "regretted the unpleasant incident," but that its cabin crew followed the correct protocol for dealing with an unruly passenger.
