(COVER PHOTO: KTRK by way of NCS Newsource)
By Alexandra Skores, Pete Muntean, Aaron Cooper, NCS
Washington (NCS) — A Delta Air Lines flight from Houston to Atlanta made an emergency touchdown early Wednesday after a passenger tried to entry the cockpit, the pilot advised air visitors controllers.
Delta flight 2557, a Boeing 717 plane, had simply taken off from Houston’s Hobby Airport when the pilot declared an emergency. Eight-five passengers and 5 crew members had been on board, in line with Delta.
“We had a passenger get up and try to access the cockpit,” the pilot could be heard in a radio recording with air visitors management captured by Broadcastify. “Can you coordinate and have security standing by?”
After confirming the cockpit was safe, he requested police and paramedics meet the aircraft when it landed.
“(He is) in cuffs in the back of the aircraft, but he did assault another passenger, so we would like that other passenger checked out,” the pilot advised air visitors management.
In 2025, there have been 1,621 unruly passengers reported to the Federal Aviation Administration. So far, in 2026, there have been 126.
Wednesday, the aircraft signaled an emergency utilizing its transponder and landed again at Hobby Airport about 17 minutes after taking off. Emergency automobiles accompanied the aircraft to the gate.
“They are coming to the gate. The police are there waiting,” an air visitors controller advised emergency responders. “Follow the aircraft to the ramp.”
Delta later advised NCS that the passenger “approached crew and customers but 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,” the airline stated in an announcement. “We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”
The flight later took off once more and arrived in Atlanta about 90 minutes not on time.
The FAA is investigating the incident.
The-NCS-Wire
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