Passenger bypasses gate agent, runs onto plane at Miami International Airport

Ticketed passenger escorted off American Airlines flight by police

MIAMI – A passenger on an American Airlines flight from Miami had to be removed Monday morning after he bypassed the gate agent and ran onto the airplane, police and airline officials said.

The ticketed passenger on a flight from Miami International Airport to Newark, New Jersey, was acting erratic and not cooperating with airline staff when he made a run for it, Miami-Dade police said.

"During the boarding process of American Airlines flight 1060 from Miami to Newark, a ticketed passenger for that flight ran on the jet bridge, bypassing the gate agent," American Airlines spokeswoman Alexis Aran Coello said. "Law enforcement was summoned, who removed the passenger."

Ari Teman posted video on Twitter of the man being led away by police in handcuffs.

"This guy runs onto the plane, starts screaming that it's his plane, that he's the FBI," Teman told Local 10 News. "All the business class (passengers) -- in fact, all the (passengers on the) plane -- stood up to block this guy from getting further onto the plane."

In cellphone video taken on the plane, a flight attendant is able to calm the man down until police arrive, six minutes later. 

The man was involuntarily hospitalized under Florida's Baker Act law.

Police conducted a security sweep before the rest of the passengers were allowed back on the plane.

When asked about the response time by Local 10 News, MDPD said they were initially given the incorrect gate information. 


About the Authors:

Louis Aguirre is an Emmy-award winning journalist who anchors weekday newscasts and serves as WPLG Local 10’s Environmental Advocate.