KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An unscheduled stop for a Los Angeles to New York flight happened right here in Kansas City last week — all for an unscheduled performance by a lyrical lady on board.
While it might be perfectly acceptable in the shower or maybe a really, really… really bad night of karaoke, but not on a packed American Airlines flight.
One woman decided to sing Whitney Houston’s iconic “I Will Always Love You” shortly after the plane took off from LAX on May 9 — but didn’t stop. And so the plane had to make a pit stop at KCI where the woman was pulled from the plane.
Bad singing might not be a crime, but it didn’t leave retired FBI agent Michael Tabman very amused.
“The other more generic crime is Interfering with the flight crew,” Tabman said. “We have to maintain control of the airlines. It’s very dangerous, very scary in a post 9-11 world and after Boston we’re all very nervous.”
American hasn’t commented publicly on the specific reason why the woman, whose name has not been released, was booted from the flight.
“It’s their plane and if you’re not behaving according to the rules they can ask you to leave… even if it means diverting the flight and taking you off.”
American did say the woman was not allowed back on the flight and told her to make other travel arrangements.
American Airlines told ABC News, “A federal Air Marshall on the flight restrained, cuffed and detained the passenger. The captain declared an emergency and diverted to Kansas City. Police met the flight and took the woman into custody. The plane was refueled and continued to JFK – landing with less than an hour delay.”
