Six Men Charged With Disrupting Flight From San Diego To Chicago
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Southwest Airlines flight from San Diego to Chicago was diverted to Amarillo, Texas, late Monday night, after six passengers became unruly during the flight.
Southwest flight 1522 was headed to Midway International Airport when a group of passengers traveling together "became disorderly and, subsequently, refused to obey instructions from the crew," according to a statement from the airline.
An Amarillo Police spokesman said the passengers were fighting and arguing with the flight crew. The airline said the disturbance caused the pilots to divert the plane to Amarillo.
"Out of an abundance of caution, the pilots in command of the flight diverted to Amarillo, where law enforcement officials met the aircraft and detained six individuals. Additionally, six other members of the group chose to deplane and remain in Amarillo," Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish said in an email.
The flight landed in Amarillo around 10:45 p.m., and resumed to Chicago at 1:30 a.m., arriving at Midway at 3:22 a.m., about three hours behind schedule.
The men who were detained were being processed at the Randall County Jail and charged with interference with a flight crew, police said. They have been identified as Saiman Hermez, 19; Jonathan Khalid Petras, 20; Ghazwan Asaad Shaba, 21; Essa Solaqa, 20; Khalid Yohana, 19; and Wisam Imad Shaker, 23. They are all from the San Diego area.