Anil Uskanil has been arrested for suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing and likely faces additional charges after being detained by FBI agents for causing a disturbance on an American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu on Friday. Uskanil, 25, had already been cited for the trespassing charges at Los Angeles International Airport prior to boarding the flight.
According to reports, Uskanil opened a door in an LAX terminal and was spotted and detained by an airport contractor until police arrived. The officers determined Uskanil was under the influence of alcohol but didn’t meet the criteria to be cited for public intoxication. He was cited, given a day to appear in court and allowed to board his flight. And things escalated once Uskanil boarded American Airlines Flight 31.
According to a report by the Associated Press, fellow passenger Mark Basden said Uskanil left his laptop in Basden’s seat when he went to the restroom. Uskanil then reportedly took his laptop and attempted to take an empty seat in the first class section of the aircraft. Uskanil returned to his seat a short time later only to cause another stir roughly midway through the six-hour flight, when he allegedly began approaching the cabin with his laptop and what other passengers believed to be a blanket. According to other passengers on the flight, an American Airlines fight attendant blocked Uskanil’s entry into the first class cabin with her serving cart as other passengers grabbed Uskanil from behind and restrained him.
First look of suspect, 25-year-old Anil Uskanil being escorted off American Airlines flight #31 by the FBI. #honolulu pic.twitter.com/QqGbd2IwAY
"She jammed the cart in that the doorway and she just said, 'You're not coming in here,'" fellow passenger Lee Lorenzen told the Associated Press.
Reports indicate Uskanil was restrained with duct tape for the duration of the flight, and two planes from the Hawaii Air National Guard escorted the plane once the flight staff called for help.
Common items such as laptops have been under increased Transportation Security Administration scrutiny during flights following what took place on September 11, 2001. Last week, speculation arose over how the U.S. is considering broadening a ban on in-flight laptops and tablets to include flights from the European Union. The issue could potentially see increased coverage given that Uskanil is believed to be a resident of Turkey— a country whose EU membership has been shaky in recent years.
DHS Statement: pic.twitter.com/lrZAYL4D6h
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security confirmed both knowledge of the disturbance and Uskanil’s detainment through a written statement. The statement said the DHS would "continue to monitor all flights out of an abundance of caution" and "provide updates as necessary."
The news of Uskanil’s arrest comes on the heels of American Airlines facing a scandal involving one of their flight attendants allegedly striking a mother of twins with a stroller and being filmed in a tense standoff with another passenger. United and Jet Blue have also faced similar public backlash for the way their flight attendants have interacted with passengers in recent weeks.
