US Fighter Jets Escort Plane With Unruly Flyer

Two F-15 fighters were scrambled to escort a Portland-Hawaii flight back to Portland yesterday when crew members became alarmed by an unruly passenger. The pilot decided to turn back because of "a suspicious passenger who made threatening remarks and refused to store his carry-on bag," a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration told Reuters.

The Hawaiian Airlines flight returned to Portland without further incident. A 56-year-old man and his female companion were questioned by the FBI before being released without charge. The matter is being referred to the US Attorney's Office, according to an FBI spokeswoman.
(More Hawaiian Airlines stories.)