Delta flight forced to turn around because of unruly passenger, airline says

HOUSTON — An unruly passenger onboard a flight out of Houston on Wednesday morning caused the plane to turn around, according to Delta Air Lines.

Delta Air Lines released a statement saying the plane, with 85 passengers, returned to William P. Hobby Airport after a passenger was showing unlawful behavior before approaching the flight crew and other passengers. Officials said the person “did not make contact with or attempt to access the flight deck.”

“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,” the statement said.

Our sister station KTRK’s news helicopter flew over the runway at Hobby, where the Delta plane was parked at Gate 32, with multiple police cars surrounding it.

The Federal Aviation Administration later released a statement regarding the incident:

Delta Air Lines Flight 2557 returned safely to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston around 5:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday, February 18, after the crew reported a passenger disturbance. The flight was headed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The FAA will investigate. Please contact the airline and local authorities for more information.

Officials said the flight has since landed in Atlanta.