Man Injures Flight Attendant Mid-Flight Trying to Exit Plane

DALLAS, TX — A 29-year-old man has been federally charged after he allegedly injured a flight attendant in an attempt to exit a plane mid-flight from Milwaukee to Dallas/Fort Worth.

According to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Abdul-al-Jabbar Oloruntoba Olaiya has been charged with interfering with a flight crew by assault or intimidation within the particular aircraft jurisdiction of the United States.

According to court documents, the incident occurred on November 19, roughly two hours into a flight from Milwaukee (MKE) to Dallas (DFW). Olaiya became frustrated with an American Airlines flight attendant working in the forward galley. Witnesses reported hearing Olaiya claim to be "captain of this flight" and demanded to "get off the plane."

The situation escalated when Olaiya allegedly charged the flight attendant in an attempt to access the aircraft's exit door. The flight attendant reportedly used her body to shield the door but was injured during the scuffle.

Doug McCright, a passenger on American Airlines Flight 1915, reportedly said the flight attendant motioned behind her back, indicating she needed help with the passenger, so he unbuckled his seatbelt, put down his laptop, and stood up.

McCright said the man then rushed toward the flight attendant and came within two feet of grabbing the door handle before McCright "bear hugged" the man, according to a police report.

Several passengers came to the flight attendant's aid, physically restraining Olaiya and duct-taping his wrists and ankles. With about 30 minutes remaining in the flight, the pilots decided to continue to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), requesting priority landing and taxing for a safe landing and arrival.

Upon landing at DFW's Terminal C, Olaiya was taken into custody by officers and transported for a mental health evaluation.

In a statement, American Airlines said, “American Airlines flight 1915 with service from Milwaukee (MKE) to Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) was met by law enforcement upon arrival at DFW due to a disruptive customer. The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we thank our team members and customers for managing a difficult situation.”

If convicted, Olaiya faces up to 20 years in federal prison.