Flightdrama

A Honduran man accused of attempting to hijack a United Airlines flight and threatening to detonate a bomb had previously been deported from the United States twice, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, 34, was arrested after allegedly attempting to enter the cockpit of United Flight 2174 from Newark to New Orleans on November 9.

The Boeing 737 MAX 9 was carrying 46 passengers and six crew members when the disturbance unfolded.

According to reports, the crew persuaded Gomez-Alberto to move towards the rear of the aircraft, allowing the pilots to land safely in New Orleans, where police arrested him.

But his immigration history has now attracted attention.

DHS confirmed he was deported in 2011 and 2014 before being apprehended again in 2019.

The Daily Wire, citing a law-enforcement source, reports that Gomez-Alberto was granted asylum in 2020 after claiming he feared persecution in Honduras because he was transgender. He also reportedly told authorities he was HIV positive.

However, DHS has separately described his release in January 2020 as occurring pending removal proceedings, and the reported asylum decision has not been independently confirmed.

Gomez-Alberto faces charges including terrorizing and communicating false information about planned arson.

#UnitedAirlines #AviationNews #FlightDrama

A Delta Air Lines captain found themselves in a rather unusual situation on November 8, after becoming trapped inside a hotel elevator shortly before reporting for a flight.

The captain was scheduled to operate Flight DL2399 from Los Angeles to Detroit aboard an Airbus A321.

Unfortunately, getting out of the hotel proved slightly more challenging than flying across the country.

With the captain stuck in the elevator, the first officer alerted Delta operations, allowing ground teams to coordinate preparations while the situation was resolved.

Despite the unexpected setback, the captain made it to the airport in time.

The Airbus A321, registration N108DN, pushed back from Los Angeles International Airport at 6:05 a.m., reportedly right on schedule.

Four hours later, the aircraft landed safely in Detroit, also on time.

Not every aviation delay starts with an aircraft problem. Fortunately for these passengers, this one never became a delay at all.

#DeltaAirLines #AviationNews #FlightDrama

A bizarre ATC exchange at Miami Executive Airport has raised questions after a pilot was instructed to land on Runway 9R, shut down the aircraft and put their hands up where authorities could see them.

The pilot calmly complied, confirming they were the only person on board.

Exactly what prompted the unusual instructions remains unclear, with very little information currently available about the incident.

#Aviation #Miami #ATC

A blind woman says she was left feeling humiliated during a 10-hour Qantas flight after a fellow passenger questioned her disability and why he hadn't been informed she was travelling.

Emma Bennison, CEO of Disability Advocacy Network Australia, was flying from Honolulu to Sydney when the incident unfolded during lunch.

Struggling to spread hard butter onto her bread, Bennison used her fingers to break it into smaller pieces.

A nearby passenger loudly commented on her behaviour before reportedly asking a flight attendant whether the crew knew a blind passenger was on board.

When the attendant confirmed they had been briefed, the man questioned why nobody had informed him.

Bennison said the encounter made her feel like an animal in a zoo, leaving her uncomfortable and conscious of being watched for the remaining eight hours.

She became reluctant to leave her seat, even to use the bathroom.

After Bennison raised her concerns, a cabin manager intervened and the passenger apologised, explaining that his remarks had come from curiosity.

Bennison praised the cabin manager's support but called for greater disability awareness and respect towards passengers with disabilities.

#Qantas #AviationNews #DisabilityAwareness

An active-duty military member has accused Alaska Airlines of being anti-military after an employee refused to give him a complimentary extra-legroom seat upgrade at Portland International Airport.

The passenger, who stands 6ft 4in tall, said he approached an airline representative after noticing approximately 30 unoccupied seats on the aircraft's seat map.

He claimed Alaska Airlines had granted similar requests on roughly nine out of ten previous flights, so he decided to ask again.

However, this time the answer was no.

According to the passenger, the employee insisted that complimentary upgrades for military personnel were against company policy and allegedly questioned whether he'd received them before.

The passenger said he felt accused of lying and interpreted the interaction as anti-military.

He was offered the opportunity to purchase an upgrade for approximately $150 but declined, arguing that he simply wanted additional legroom.

He later shared his experience in a two-minute Instagram video, attracting considerable discussion online.

Alaska Airlines offers several military travel benefits, but complimentary extra-legroom upgrades are not among its guaranteed perks.

The employee's exact remarks have not been independently verified, and refusing a complimentary upgrade does not itself establish discrimination.

#AlaskaAirlines #AviationNews #MilitaryTravel