Criminal Charges Dropped Against Rogue American Airlines Passenger
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Criminal charge against unruly American Airlines passenger, 36, dropped: She says she was ‘going to the bathroom’ when she allegedly tried to get into the cabin because her drink wasn’t served quickly enough, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.
The criminal charge against an American Airlines passenger, who allegedly tried to breach the cabin because her drink was not served quickly enough, has now been dropped.
Tiffany Miles, 36, who was on the flight from Jacksonville, Florida, to Washington, D.C., goaded the airline into making an emergency landing in North Carolina after she reportedly became irritated when she couldn’t get an alcoholic drink fast enough.
She was arrested Wednesday and was initially facing misdemeanor obstruction of the airport, which carries a 20-year jail sentence.
But Miles was able to get out of jail on bond and learned Friday from the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Police Department that the charge was dismissed.
She claims she was going to the bathroom and not trying to raid the cabin.
Miles said she was “relieved” but needed to speak to her legal team. She added: ‘if no one is charging me now, then what’s all the fuss about?’
Tiffany Michelle Miles, 36, of Washington DC, caused American Airlines Flight 3444 from Jacksonville to DC to divert and make an emergency landing at Raleigh-Durham International Airport shortly after 3:30 p.m. Wednesday .
Miles reportedly became irritated that his alcoholic beverage was not being served quickly enough and attempted to breach the booth.
The plane made an emergency landing in North Carolina.
Police released a statement: “After an ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and review of eyewitness statements, as well as in-depth consultation with the Wake County District Attorney, RDU Police has dismissed the [charge].’
Passenger Kara Rosario told ABC 11 that Miles, who was sitting in first class, became irritated that her alcoholic beverage was not served quickly enough. She then tried to get into the cabin before the crew members tried to calm her down.
Another passenger who heard the commotion came over to help the crew “de-escalate the situation,” according to Rosario, who was a few rows behind Miles.
“She was upset because they weren’t serving her drink,” Rosario said. “She was yelling that she paid for First Class and she’s not going to get the drink she ordered.”
And that’s when the fellow passenger got up to help the crew.
“He wasn’t a sheriff or a police officer, just a citizen who was trying to help defuse the situation,” Rosario told ABC 11. “You could feel that we were in this together and we were willing to do whatever it took, but the gentleman behind me was the first to get up and take matters into his own hands.’
Air traffic control audio from the cockpit revealed that Miles was walking through the cockpit and attempted to enter the cockpit.
“Subject is loose in cabin,” the audio said. ‘AND [Miles] is trying to break the cabin. [Miles] is being somewhat restrained by the flight crew and other passengers.’
The pilot then requested that Miles be “clipped down” as soon as the plane landed.
Later, an air traffic control operator informed the crew that ‘a long arms crew will be at the outboard end of the aircraft.’
“They’ll be waiting,” he said.
A photo taken on the flight shows Miles being escorted by four officers and she was arrested.
The airport had grounded arriving flights when Flight 3444 landed, but it was lifted around 4 p.m., according to WRAL News.
No passengers were injured during the commotion and all were booked on different flights to Washington DC.