Alaska Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Passenger Physically Assaults Cabin Crew

The flight was diverted to the Boise Airport in Idaho following an onboard incident.

An Alaska Airlines aircraft had to make an emergency landing at Boise Airport, Idaho, after a passenger physically attacked two cabin crew members during the flight. The incident occurred on Tuesday (Oct 14) aboard Flight 1057, which was traveling from Portland International Airport, Oregon to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Texas. The flight had departed on schedule at 11:26 PM local time.

Approximately one hour into the journey, a passenger identified as Tracy Barkhimer, a 61-year-old woman from White Salmon, Washington, began displaying erratic behavior, according to a report in The Independent. She was restrained for the remainder of the flight until landing, at which point she was transferred to police custody.

"At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees," the airline stated in response to the incident.

"The passenger in question has been banned from flying with us. We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism, and we apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation caused."

Medical personnel evaluated the affected flight attendants after landing and cleared them to continue their duties. The flight experienced a delay of approximately 90 minutes before continuing its journey.

The two flight attendants involved requested and signed affidavits for Barkhimer's arrest. She was subsequently taken into custody and booked into the Ada County Jail.

"She [Barkhimer] was showing erratic behaviour and struck two airline employees who were attempting to calm her down," the Boise Police Department confirmed in an official statement.

According to online jail records, Barkhimer now faces two counts of misdemeanour battery. She has posted her $600 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court in early November.

In a separate incident earlier this week, a JetBlue Airways passenger attempted to open the emergency exit door during flight after mistaking a normal aircraft noise for a mechanical failure. The woman, who claimed her boyfriend was a pilot, became alarmed after hearing the "barking dog" noise that is common in Airbus A320 aircraft.

This sound, which caused the passenger's panic, is actually produced by the Power Transfer Unit (PTU), a standard hydraulic component found in all Airbus A320-family aircraft.