Flying Becomes Exciting Again

But for all the wrong reasons:

Police say flight attendants and passengers subdued an unruly passenger and put him in handcuffs as an American Airlines flight was approaching San Francisco.

Sgt. Michael Rodrigues of the San Francisco police says the passenger was banging on the cockpit door and shouting unintelligibly on Flight 1561 from Chicago when he was wrestled down and put in plastic handcuffs.

He says the Boeing 737 carrying 162 people landed safely at 9:10 p.m. at San Francisco International Airport where police arrested the man.

The suspect was identified as 28-year-old Rageit Almurisi. Rodriguez says he doesn't know his nationality but he carries a Yemen passport. ...

The incident came hours after a Continental flight to Chicago was diverted in St. Louis after a passenger unsuccessfully tried to open a plane door.

Continental spokeswoman Julie King says Flight No. 546 landed Sunday around 1:30 p.m. at Lambert St. Louis-International Airport and was grounded about an hour before leaving for Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford confirmed an "unruly" passenger tried to open the door.

FBI and airport police in St. Louis were questioning the passenger. Lambert spokesman Jeff Lea said the 34-year-old Illinois man got up 20 minutes after takeoff and said he had to get off the plane. No charges have been filed. ...

Also on Sunday, a Delta Air Lines flight from Detroit to San Diego was diverted to Albuquerque, N.M., because of a security scare but authorities found "no suspicious devices" on the plane, an FBI spokesman said.

As I've said before, I doubt there will ever be another successful hijacking or attack on an airliner after 9/11 because the passengers and crew will not simply sit by and let it happen. We may have some battles on board airliners from time to time, but we won't lose one to terrorism.