Man taken into custody for allegedly trying to reroute domestic flight from Mexico to the U.S.
Authorities arrested a passenger on a budget airline in Mexico on Sunday after he attempted to force a flight to be redirected to the United States, according to the airline.
Volaris stated that Flight 3041 was en route to Tijuana, a city located in Baja California near southern California, when crew members acted quickly to detain the passenger, according to the airline’s social media updates.
FlightAware, a website that monitors flight trajectories, noted that the Airbus A320 departed from BajÃo International Airport in central Mexico at 7:17 a.m.
The airline indicated that the passenger “attempted to use force to redirect the flight to the United States,” but provided no further details about the incident.
An eyewitness on the flight, speaking to Fox 5 in San Diego, revealed that a man traveling with family reportedly threatened a flight attendant using a pen and grabbed the handle of the plane’s door, claiming he would jump out, saying he would take the flight attendant with him.
The man managed to open the plane door, but another passenger successfully restrained him, allowing crew members to take control of the situation.
The flight was redirected to Guadalajara in western Mexico, as per the airline’s announcement on X.
According to FlightAware, the aircraft landed shortly after 8 a.m.
Upon landing, local authorities took the disruptive passenger into custody, although the airline did not disclose his identity.
Volaris later confirmed that the flight continued to its intended destination.
Motivation behind passenger’s attempt to divert flight remains unclear
The reasons for the passenger’s attempt to reroute the plane to the U.S. are still unknown.
The airline, which operates out of Mexico City, expressed its regret to customers regarding the incident through a post on X.
“Our crew responded following the necessary safety protocols and procedures,” the airline stated.
Destinations serviced by Volaris
Volaris operates flights to the following locations:
- Cancun
- Culiacán
- Guadalajara
- León/Del BajÃo
- Mexicali
- Mexico City
- Monterrey
- Tijuana
