A Frontier flight had to make an emergency landing in South Florida on Sunday after a man attempted to break into the pilot\u2019s cabin and assaulted an off-duty flight attendant on board, according to authorities.<\/p>\n
The man, Juan Gabriel Reyes, 51, made his first appearance in Miami federal court on Tuesday. He is charged with interference with flight crew members and attendants and assault within maritime and territorial jurisdiction.<\/p>\n
The flight had taken off from San Juan and was on its way to Chicago Sunday night when Reyes began attempting to open the exit doors, according to a probable cause affidavit. Flight attendants stopped him and told him to take a seat. Instead, Reyes walked towards the door to the pilot\u2019s cabin and \u201caggressively\u201d shoved it with his shoulder while attempting to enter, according to the affidavit. He then went to the lavatory and attempted to urinate on the floor.<\/p>\n
Flight attendants escorted Reyes back to his seat, at which point an off-duty Frontier flight attendant offered to sit in his row, according to the affidavit. When the off-duty attendant went to the restroom, another passenger told him that Reyes had been grabbing his bag. When the off-duty flight attendant reached over to grip the bag, Reyes grabbed his head and began choking him, the affidavit states. Several passengers tried to pull Reyes off of the off-duty flight attendant while using their call buttons to alert the on-duty flight attendants. Eventually, multiple flight attendants and passengers managed to restrain Reyes.<\/p>\n