Airline Passenger Arrested After Allegedly Trying to Breach the Cockpit During Flight

Tiffany Miles, a woman accused of attempting to breach the cockpit on an American Eagle Flight, has had her airport obstruction charge dropped after further investigation by airport police.

The flight had been en route from Jacksonville, Florida to Washington, DC when it was forced to make an emergency landing.

Miles had initially been arrested on a misdemeanor charge, but police have since dropped the case. No further details have been provided about the decision, but Miles has denied trying to breach the cockpit, claiming that she was merely heading to the bathroom.

Miles, who has anxiety and frequently flies, stated that she attempted to order alcohol from a flight attendant despite being informed that the service was unavailable.

After the exchange, she got up and walked toward the lavatory, which happened to be in the direction of the cockpit. Two crew members stopped her, and a fellow passenger attempted to calm her down before she returned to her seat.

Pilots notified air traffic control of the situation, while the crew used zip ties to restrain her, according to WRAL. Miles expressed relief at the decision to drop the charge against her, but stated that she was concerned about the flight attendant’s behavior during the incident.

Police noted that the decision to drop the charge against Miles did not prevent the FBI from charging her with a federal crime. However, the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office confirmed that no charges were expected unless additional evidence was presented.