Free Republic

PORTLAND – A flight out of the Portland International Airport returned to the terminal Tuesday, after the flight crew had a problem with a belligerent passenger who was yelling about terrorism, Portland's KGW reports. Yazeed Mohammed Abunayyan was “yelling profanities and swinging his fist at the flight attendant, hitting or attempting to hit several passengers, and speaking or singing about Usama [Osama] bin Laden and his hatred of women,” according to court documents obtained by KGW. Witnesses said Abunayyan refused to turn off an electronic cigarette when asked by airline staff, according to Port of Portland spokesman Steve Johnson. Then,...

HOUSTON— Passengers aboard a Continental Airlines flight bound for Houston Tuesday sprang into action to help a flight attendant having trouble with an unruly passenger. Twenty minutes after the plane departed Portland, pilots returned to the city where the FBI was waiting. Passengers said the unruly man was a problem from the beginning. After boarding Flight 1113, the man became upset because he was not seated next to his friend. Then after the flight took off, he ignored the “No Smoking” sign and tried to light an electronic cigarette. A flight attendant asked the passenger to turn off the cigarette,...