JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 2 (UPI) — A Delta Airlines flight from New York was diverted en route to its Florida destination when an argument broke out related to a reclining seat, a witness said.

Aaron Klipin, a passenger aboard Delta Flight 2370 from New York’s LaGuardia Airport to Palm Beach International Airport in Florida, said the plane was diverted to Jacksonville, Fla., when a passenger became irate about another passenger’s reclined seat.

Delta said the flight, which departed New York at 7 p.m. Monday, was diverted “due to safety reasons in regard to a passenger issue.”

Klipin said he was seated next to a woman who attempted to recline her seat while a second woman, later identified as Amy Fine, 32, was trying to sleep with her head down on the tray table attached to the back of the seat.

“This woman sitting next to me knitting tried reclining her seat back, the woman behind her started screaming and swearing. The flight attendant came over and that exacerbated what was going on. She demanded the flight land,” Klipin said.

Fine, of Boca Raton, Fla., was escorted off the plane by police and released following an interview, a Jacksonville Aviation Authority police report said. The report said Fine told officers she had been feeling very emotional at the time of the incident because two of her dogs had recently died.

The flight continued after Fine was escorted off the plane and it arrived at the Palm Beach International Airport shortly after 11 p.m. Airport officials said Fine was allowed to board a different flight following her release.

By Chris Stewart Brian Entin

WEST PALM BEACH, FL (WFLX) – A Delta Airlines flight, from LaGuardia to Palm Beach International Airport, had to be diverted to Jacksonville Monday night due to an unruly passenger who lives in Boca Raton.

According to Delta Airlines, Flight 2370 was diverted “due to safety reasons in regard to a passenger issue”. 

A report from the Jacksonville Aviation Authority identified the passenger as Amy Caryn Fine, 32, of Boca Raton.

An onboard witness, Aaron Klipin, was seated next to a woman who attempted to recline her seat. The report said Fine was trying to sleep on a tray table and was struck in the head by the reclined seat. “This woman who was sitting next to me, knitting, actually tried reclining her seat back, and the woman behind her started screaming and swearing and the flight attendant came over, and that just exacerbated what was going on, and then she demanded that the flight land,” he said.

Klipin said when a flight attendant was called, the incident became heated and Fine insisted that the flight be diverted to the next stop.

The flight attendants tried to calm down Fine, but they said she continued to be disruptive and loud.

“She started swearing at the flight attendants and then demanding that the flight land. The flight attendants went and spoke with the captain, while somebody was blocking her path to the cabin.  Then, a few minutes later, an announcement came on that we were diverting to Jacksonville,” Klipin said.

Klipin said that Fine stated something to the effect of, “I don’t care about the consequences put this plane down now.”

Fine said in the report that she had two dogs die, and she was very emotional.

The flight attendants were concerned for the safety of themselves and the passengers, forcing the flight to be diverted to Jacksonville International Airport.  

According to Klipin, a flight attendant stayed next to Fine until the plane landed in Jacksonville at 9:30 p.m., where she was escorted off the plane by police.

Fine was taken to the rental car center area and released without incident, said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority report.

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A Florida woman, mad that a fellow passenger ­had bonked her on the head by reclining her seat, forced a packed flight out of La Guardia Airport to make an emergency landing Monday — and got away with it.

Unemployed Boca Raton resident Amy Fine got off without criminal charges — despite allegedly flailing her arms and shouting, “Put this plane down now!” at the crew of Delta Flight 2370, who inexplicably gave in to her demand to land the Palm Beach-bound flight.

The 32-year-old passenger — who had been sitting in a premium coach section with extra legroom — flipped out when she was bumped by the reclining seat, according to a police report. She had apparently been trying to sleep with her head on the tray table when the other passenger leaned back.

Fine allegedly flipped out, berating the woman as stunned fliers looked on.

“This woman sitting next to me knitting tried reclining her seat . . . The woman behind her started screaming and swearing,” witness Aaron Klipin told WPTV in West Palm Beach.

Fine focused her fury on crew members who tried to break up the fight.

“The flight attendant tried to clam Ms. Fine down,” the police report said. “The more they tried to calm her down, the more upset she became.”

Fine allegedly told the crew to “eat s- -t and die,” and demanded that the flight land immediately.

The flight attendants told Fine that landing was impossible. But Fine had other ideas and allegedly continued her tantrum. She waved her arms in the air and got “very combative” as she continued to demand that the flight touch down, according to the report.

Attendants alerted pilots as a crew member blocked the raging Fine from rushing the cockpit. The pilots decided to land because “they were concerned for the safety of themselves and the passengers,” the police report said.

The plane touched down 260 miles from Palm Beach, in Jacksonville, at 9:30 p.m.

Instead of hauling Fine off in handcuffs, cops and the FBI questioned the Brooklyn native and apparently bought her sob story about recently losing two dogs. They released her without charges.

The incident marks the third time in two weeks that passengers have gotten into brawls on US flights over legroom and reclining seats.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –

A Delta Airlines flight from LaGuardia to Palm Beach International Airport was diverted to Jacksonville when a passenger got into a dispute over a reclining seat.

Delta Flight 2370 departed at about 7 p.m. Monday, en route to West Palm Beach. According to Delta Airlines, the flight was diverted “due to safety reasons in regard to a passenger issue.”

Passenger Aaron Klipin said described what happened.

“This woman sitting next to me knitting tried reclining her seat back, the woman behind her started screaming and swearing. The flight attendant came over and that exacerbated what was going on. She demanded the flight land,” said Klipin.

Klipin said the woman who was agitated — later identified as 32-year-old Amy Fine — claimed she had her head down on the tray table trying sleep.

“She said something to the effect of, ‘I don’t care about the consequences, put this plane down now,'” said Klipin. “She started swearing at the flight attendants and demanding the flight land. The flight attendant spoke to the captain while somebody was blocking her path to the cabin. A few minutes later an announcement came on that we were diverting to Jacksonville.”

According to the Jacksonville Aviation Authority police report, Fine, 32, of Boca Raton, was escorted off the plane, interviewed, then released.

According to the report, Fine said she was hit on the head with the seat in front of her reclined, and they “did have words,” but claims she was not disruptive.

All three flight attendants were interviewed, telling police Fine was “disruptive and very loud,” demanding that they land the plane immediately.

One flight attendant police that Fine told him to, “Eat (expletive) and die.”

In her interview, Fine told officers she just had two dogs die and she was very emotional.

The Delta flight continued on to West Palm Beach, arriving after 11 p.m. Airport officials said they consulted with the FBI, then Fine was released and allowed to board a different flight.

This incident would be the third reported flight diversion caused by passenger disruption in the last few weeks.

Arguments over reclining seats contributed to two incidents last week. A Miami to Paris flight landed in Boston Wednesday, after air marshals on the plane restrained a man who fought with a passenger trying to recline in front of him, according to authorities.

Before that incident, a man on a United Airlines flight used a product called a Knee Defender to keep the seat in front of him from reclining. The woman in front, unable to recline, got into an argument with the man and reportedly threw a cup of water in his face. Both passengers were seated in United’s Economy Plus section, which gives fliers extra legroom for an extra fee.

That argument prompted the Newark, New Jersey-to-Denver flight to be diverted to Chicago, according to United Airlines, adding that the unidentified passengers were not allowed back on when the plane continued on to Denver.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – A Delta Airlines flight from LaGuardia to Palm Beach International Airport had to be diverted to Jacksonville Monday night due to an unruly passenger who lives in Boca Raton.

According to Delta Airlines, Flight 2370 was diverted “due to safety reasons in regard to a passenger issue.”
A report from the Jacksonville Aviation Authority identified the passenger as Amy Caryn Fine, 32, of Boca Raton.

The onboard witness, Aaron Klipin, was seated next to a woman who attempted to recline her seat.   The report said that Fine was trying to sleep on a tray table and was struck in the head by the reclined seat.

“This woman who was sitting next to me knitting actually tried reclining her seat back and the woman behind her started screaming and swearing and the flight attendant came over and that just exacerbated what was going on, and then she demanded that the flight land,” he said.

Klipin said when a flight attendant was called, the incident became heated and Fine insisted that the flight be diverted to the next stop.

The flight attendants tried to calm down Fine, but they said she continued to be disruptive and loud.

“She started swearing at the flight attendants and then demanding that the flight land. The flight attendants went and spoke with the captain, while somebody was blocking her path to the cabin.  Then, a few minutes later, an announcement came on that we were diverting to Jacksonville,” Klipin said.

Klipin said that Fine stated something to the effect of, “I don’t care about the consequences put this plane down now.”

Fine said in the report that she had two dogs die, and she was very emotional.

The flight attendants were concerned for the safety of themselves and the passengers, forcing the flight to be diverted to Jacksonville International Airport.

According to Klipin, a flight attendant stayed next to Fine until the plane landed in Jacksonville at 9:30 p.m., where she was escorted off the plane by police.

Fine was taken to the rental car center area and released without incident, said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority report.

The flight landed in West Palm Beach at 11:13 p.m., said Delta spokesman Morgan Durrant.

This is at least the third time in the last ten days a passenger’s behavior has caused a flight to be diverted.

“The real key is people don’t act appropriately in public.  This needs to stop,” explained NewsChannel 5 aviation expert, David Bjellos.

In June, a set of principles were adopted industry-wide at the 70th annual meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization.  The principles clarify an airline’s right of recourse and rights to reclaim costs incurred.  Flight diversions can cost airlines up to $200,000.  Passengers who cause flight diversions could be held financially responsible for the diversions and expenses for flight crews, fellow passengers and fuel costs.

Bjellos says, in addition to the cost of the diversions, they inconvenience hundreds of other passengers. 
He says it’s impossible to penetrate a cockpit door and it’s rare for an angry passenger to become physically dangerous to others in the cabin.

“Airlines always use the term, out of an abundance of caution.  Tell me exactly what a screaming woman in the back of an airplane is going to do to disrupt a flight to the point it’s dangerous for the flight and crew?  Absolutely nothing,” Bjellos said.

Bjellos suggests passengers inconvenienced by the disruptive passengers file a class action lawsuit.  He also says the airlines should create a no-fly list for people who are disruptive.

“You do this once?  No fly for a year.  Anywhere, anyone, anytime.  You do it twice?  You don’t fly anymore,” he said.

The best solution, Bjellos says, is for all passengers on all flights to be as courteous as possible to the people around them.  They are, after all, people who they will likely never see again after they land.

“The people that we have flying on these airplanes don’t have etiquette in their vocabulary.  Or their demeanor.  It just simply does not exist.  They’re rude because that’s the way they are at home, that’s the way they are at work, and that’s the way they are everywhere else and we put them on the airplane,” he said.

A Delta Airlines flight from New York to Florida was diverted after a row between passengers erupted over a reclining seat.

A woman was trying to recline her seat while travelling on the flight from New York to Palm Beach, but was unable to because of a fellow passenger behind her was sleeping with her head on the tray table.

When the woman, who was trying to sleep refused to cooperate, the plane was re-routed to Jacksonville in Florida.

A witness told WPTV: “She said something to the fact that ‘I don’t care about the consequences, put this plane down now.'”

Police arrived at the scene to remove the passenger, according to Delta Airlines.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the captain elected to divert to the closest airport,” the airline said in a statement.

It is the third row to happen over reclining seats in recent weeks.

An American Airlines flight from Miami to Paris was diverted to Boston after Frenchman Edmond Alexandre exploded when a passenger restricted his leg-room when she reclined her seat in front of him. He was later arrested and charged with “interfering with a flight crew”.

A United Airlines Flight from Newark to Denver was also re-routed to Chicago after a 48-year-old woman threw water over a man who stopped her from reclining her seat. He had attached a “knee defender” device to the tray in front to give him space to work on his laptop.

Delta Airlines will begin to offer two new nonstop flights from Rochester’s airport starting Tuesday.

The airline will offer the nonstop flights from Rochester to Detroit and Atlanta.

Rochester International Airport’s Executive Director Marty Lenss said airport officials have been in talks with Delta for more than a year.

The launch of the new service coincides with the airport’s traffic patterns, which tend to spike in early fall in part because of Mayo’s new crop of resident doctors, he said.

“Rochester is a bit unique in that our service pattern and our peaks occur at a little bit different times of a year that a traditional market place.”

About 225,000 passengers travel through the Rochester airport each year. A third of that travel is business and Mayo related, another third is Mayo Clinic patients and visitors, and the remaining third is vacationers.

About 13 percent of all passengers are international travelers.