A Stressful Day for Air Travel

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 9, 2011 2:00PM

Something was in the air yesterday: passengers acting like fools on airline flights.

Two Chicago-related flights were marked by "unruly" passengers yesterday. A Continental Airlines flight from Houston to Chicago made an emergency landing in St. Louis when a passenger decided being 30,000 feet in the air would be a fine time to open the cabin door. Flight 546 was grounded in St. Louis for about an hour before it resumed its journey. No charges have been filed yet in the incident against the 34-year-old Illinois man who wanted out of the plane.

Passengers on a flight from Chicago to San Francisco helped subdue 28-year-old Rageit Almurisi, who started pounding on the cockpit door shortly before American Airlines Flight 1561 landed. Almurisi sustained some bruises while being subdued, but was treated before being sent to San Mateo County Jail.