A Delta flight heading to Atlanta had to turn back to Houston shortly after takeoff Wednesday morning after a passenger started causing a disturbance, leading the crew to call for help and request police meet the plane.
According to Delta, Flight 2557 departed William P. Hobby Airport in Houston at about 5:25 a.m. local time en route to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport when a customer began exhibiting what the airline described as “unruly and unlawful behavior” toward other passengers.
The flight, which was carrying 85 customers and five crew members aboard a Boeing 717, returned to Houston and landed safely around 5:40 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“We can confirm that the customer approached crew and customers but did not make contact with or attempt to access the flight deck,” a Delta spokesperson said in background information provided to CBS News Atlanta.
The crew declared an emergency as a precaution before landing. The aircraft was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Hobby Airport. Delta said it would defer additional details to authorities.
In a statement, Delta said, “The safety of our customers and crew is paramount, and Delta has zero tolerance for unruly behavior. We apologize to our customers for this experience and delay in their travels.”
The FAA confirmed the incident and said it will investigate. The agency stated the crew reported a passenger disturbance before returning to Houston.
After the disruptive passenger was removed, the flight took off more than an hour after its original takeoff time. Delta said the aircraft was expected to arrive in Atlanta about 90 minutes behind schedule.
No injuries were reported.
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