Currently, a woman from Florida is in custody after faking a medical issue during a flight which caused the plane to be diverted.
A woman who has yet to be identified lied about having a medical issue during an American Airlines flight from Pensacola to Miami in an attempt to upgrade her seat.
The pilot then declared an emergency, turning the plane back to Pensacola after the woman reported having issues breathing. Flight crews then requested authorities to Pensacola International Airport, where the woman eventually admitted she had made up the medical issue to get a larger seat on the plane.
Initially, the woman refused to deplane which prompted a complete evacuation of the aircraft but both authorities and the pilot were eventually able to convince her to exit the plane.
Under the state’s Baker Act, the woman was then taken into protective custody which allows authorities to detain individuals believed to pose a threat to themselves or others.
“American Eagle 3508 returned to Pensacola due to a passenger who requested medical assistance,” American Airlines revealed in a statement to NBC News.
“The flight took off at 5:43 a.m. and landed back at Pensacola at 6:26 a.m. and taxied to the gate. All [passengers] deplaned normally at the gate through the main boarding door and onto the jet bridge. The passenger was subsequently removed by law enforcement and medical personnel, and the flight took off again at 7:41 a.m.”