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Unruly man grounds AirTran flight By Mashaun D. Simon The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 9:16 p.m. Friday, January 8, 2010 The unruly and allegedly drunk passenger who forced an emergency landing of an AirTran jet flying from Atlanta to San Francisco Friday is being held over the weekend in anticipation of federal charges being filed Monday. Muhammad Abu Tahir, 46, of Virginia was transported to the El Paso, Co. County jail where he will be detained on a federal hold, said FBI officials. Federal charges for interference with a flight crew are expected to be filed, FBI spokeswoman Kathleen Wright told the...

The unruly and allegedly drunk passenger who forced an emergency landing of an AirTran jet flying from Atlanta to San Francisco Friday is being held over the weekend in anticipation of federal charges being filed Monday. Muhammad Abu Tahir, 46, of Virginia was transported to the El Paso, Co. County jail where he will be detained on a federal hold, said FBI officials. Federal charges for interference with a flight crew are expected to be filed, FBI spokeswoman Kathleen Wright told the AJC Friday night. The incident occurred on AirTran flight #39 as the plane neared Colorado Springs, Co. AirTran...

Neil Cavuto just read news crossing the wire. Two fighter jets were launched by NORAD from Tyndall AFB in FL due to an issue with an unruly passenger on an Air Tran flight from Atlanta to San Francisco. Hopefully, more follows soon. Plane has landed at Colorado Springs airport. A young man was taken into custody after the flight was diverted. The man was thought to be intoxicated and locked himself in the bathroom. The crew radioed the situation, and the fighters were launched. Everyone's safe on the flight .. the passenger is in custody.

Airtran flight 39, Atlanta to San Francisco, unruly passenger on board. Fighters launched to escort plane, landed in Colorado Springs. Info per Neil Cavuto on Fox News; no link yet.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Federal authorities say a disruptive passenger has been released without charges after military jets escorted a jetliner back to Portland. The FBI says there is no known link to terrorists. Military officials say the jets were sent up Wednesday as a precaution. The action comes amid heightened concern about airline security and the charge that a Nigerian man tried to blow up a jetliner bound for Detroit on Christmas Day. The FBI says it questioned a 56-year-old man from Salem, Ore., and turned the matter over to federal prosecutors. A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration...

PORTLAND, Oregon (Reuters) – An unruly passenger aboard a Hawaii-bound airliner on Wednesday prompted the pilot to return the plane to Portland, Oregon, escorted by two military fighter jets, in the latest of several U.S. aviation security scares this week. The Hawaiian Airlines jet en route to Maui's Kahului Airport turned back because of "a suspicious passenger who made threatening remarks and refused to store his carry-on bag," said Suzanne Trevino, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The plane, escorted by two F-15 fighters scrambled out of Portland International Airport, landed there without further incident, and the man,...

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Concerns over an unruly passenger forced a plane to turn around and head back to Portland Wednesday. The Maui-bound Hawaiian Airlines plane was turned around during the flight and landed safely at PDX. Officials with the Portland Air National Guard Base said two fighter jets were scrambled at 1 p.m. to escort the plane. Send pics Hawaiian Airlines said the situation was not security related Flight 39 left for Maui from PDX at 10:10 a.m. and was an hour-and-a-half into its direct flight when the crew turned the plane around and brought the plane citing issues with...