Unruly passenger did not access cockpit on Atlanta-bound aircraft, leading back to diversion to Hobby Airport, officials say. – ABC13 Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A man has been detained by police after allegedly exhibiting “unruly and unlawful behavior towards other customers” that caused a flight to return to Houston shortly after taking off, according to Delta Airlines and law enforcement.

The flight, departing from William P. Hobby Airport, was headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The safety of our customers and crew is paramount, and Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior. We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels,” Delta said in a statement on Wednesday.

After taking off, it landed at Hobby Airport around 5:40 a.m., according to the FAA. The flight was only in the air for about 15 minutes.

SkyEye was over the aircraft, which was surrounded by multiple police cars.

Amber Ward, a passenger on the flight, shared a video with ABC13 of the incident.

Upon landing, Ward told the ABC News Atlanta affiliate WSB that the unruly man “started punching everybody” before he was removed from the plane.

“And before that, he was trying to go to the cockpit. He was saying he wanted to speak to the pilot,” Amber Ward said. “I just wanted to make sure I got it on film, because I didn’t know what was going to happen,” Ward told WSB.

Eventually, the man attacked a person sitting in a window seat, “yanking him by his shirt, his hair,” according to Ward.

“It took like eight guys on the plane to get him off of that guy, and they had to sit on him, and we had to turn the plane around and go back.”

Earlier reports and air traffic controller audio alleged the man was attempting to breach the cockpit of a Delta Airlines flight, but Delta said he “did not make contact with or attempt to access the flight deck,” in a statement to ABC13.

On air traffic controller audio, one of the pilots can be heard telling controllers, “we had a passenger get up and try to access the cockpit,” and that “he assaulted another passenger,” who the pilot said they wanted to get checked out.

Video reviewed and verified by ABC News shows a passenger whose hands are bound being escorted off a Delta flight 2557 on Wednesday morning in Houston.

The FAA said the flight “returned safely” to Hobby “after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.” The FAA said it will investigate the incident.

There were 85 passengers and five crew on board the plane. The flight re-departed and arrived in Atlanta, about 90 minutes behind schedule, Delta said.