(The hill) – An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., made an emergency landing on Sunday in Kansas City after a passenger tried to enter the cabin and open the exit door.

Crew members and other passengers steered the rebellious passenger until he was taken into custody on landing, The New York Times reported.

American Airlines said the flight landed safely and was met by law enforcement upon arrival. The airline added that the crew of the plane “with the utmost skill and professionalism coped with the circumstances,” writes the Times.

Hill asked American Airlines for comment.

Muaz Mustafa, a passenger on the plane, described the scene to the Times. “The flight attendant ran to the back of the plane, took out a coffee shop and continued to hit the guy on the head,” Mustafa told the newspaper, adding that the man was “bleeding heavily.”

“I honestly thought I could die today,” Mustafa added.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported there has recently been an “alarming increase in incidents where airline passengers disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior.”

As of February 8, the agency said it had seen 394 reports of unruly passengers and 255 mask-related incidents this year.

In November, the Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered by the Ministry of Justice (DOJ) give priority to prosecuting aircraft passengers who have committed violence.

“Passengers who attack, intimidate or threaten the massacre of crews and flight attendants do more than harm these employees; they hinder the performance of essential responsibilities that contribute to the provision of safe air transportation, ”Garland said at the time.

“Similarly, if passengers commit acts of violence against other passengers in the immediate vicinity of a commercial aircraft, such behavior endangers everyone on board,” he added.

(The hill) – An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., made an emergency landing on Sunday in Kansas City after a passenger tried to enter the cabin and open the exit door.

Crew members and other passengers steered the rebellious passenger until he was taken into custody on landing, The New York Times reported.

American Airlines said the flight landed safely and was met by law enforcement upon arrival. The airline added that the crew of the plane “with the utmost skill and professionalism coped with the circumstances,” writes the Times.

Hill asked American Airlines for comment.

Muaz Mustafa, a passenger on the plane, described the scene to the Times. “The flight attendant ran to the back of the plane, took out a coffee shop and continued to hit the guy on the head,” Mustafa told the newspaper, adding that the man was “bleeding heavily.”

“I honestly thought I could die today,” Mustafa added.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported there has recently been an “alarming increase in incidents where airline passengers disrupted flights with threatening or violent behavior.”

As of February 8, the agency said it had seen 394 reports of unruly passengers and 255 mask-related incidents this year.

In November, the Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered by the Ministry of Justice (DOJ) give priority to prosecuting aircraft passengers who have committed violence.

“Passengers who attack, intimidate or threaten the massacre of crews and flight attendants do more than harm these employees; they hinder the performance of essential responsibilities that contribute to the provision of safe air transportation, ”Garland said at the time.

“Similarly, if passengers commit acts of violence against other passengers in the immediate vicinity of a commercial aircraft, such behavior endangers everyone on board,” he added.