A 37-year-old man is facing federal charges after he became so unruly on a Frontier Airlines flight, crew members and other passengers had to restrain him with zip ties and plastic wrap.
Michael Ganter is accused of threatening the crew and passengers onboard a February 9 flight from Queens, New York to Orlando, Florida. The incident forced pilots to divert the flight and make an unplanned landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina.
The commotion happened about an hour into what was supposed to be a three-hour flight, after Ganter woke from a nap and began making "concerning statements" to other passengers.
One passenger said Ganter claimed that he was being stuck with needles and that his DNA was being collected. Another said he claimed "he was from the Indian tribe 'Slapahoe' and that he was going to slap people and beat them to death," The Washington Post reported. Things escalated when he allegedly threatened a mother and a small child who were seated behind him.
"Ganter began making statements threatening violence to those on the flight and became increasingly disruptive during the flight," the Department of Justice said in a statement. "Flight attendants requested assistance from other passengers, who restrained Ganter."
Together with the flight crew, passengers used zip-tips to restrain Ganter's wrists and plastic wrap to bind his ankles, the Post reported.
Police boarded the plane in Raleigh and removed Ganter. He was taken to a medical center to be evaluated.
"Passengers who threaten violence in the close confines of a commercial aircraft put everyone in danger," United States Attorney Michael Easley said in a statement. "My office will continue to aggressively prosecute federal crimes in the skies and ensure the safety of the flying public. Safe air travel is essential to our economy and keeping families connected. No passenger, flight crew, or flight attendant should have to fly in fear."
The incident caused about a two hour delay, but the flight eventually reached Orlando.
Airlines have seen an increase in disruptive passenger behavior since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration received 5,981 reports of unruly behavior -- 4,290 of which were related to face masks. So far this year, nearly 400 reports of unruly passengers have been filed with the FAA.
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