American Airlines plane bound for NYC diverts to Jacksonville after pepper spray incident
An FAA spokesperson said an individual inadvertently sprayed the bottle
An American Airlines passenger was the only one on his flight after it was delayed by 18 hours.
An American Airlines flight headed to New York City from Miami was forced to divert to Jacksonville, Florida, after someone sprayed pepper spray.
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration told FOX Business that the incident happened Sunday on American Airlines Flight 1680 from Miami to New York City.
The spokesperson said the flight needed to be diverted to Jacksonville International Airport in Florida after someone inadvertently sprayed a bottle of pepper spray on the plane.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.20 | -0.26 | -1.80% |
The aircraft was cleaned after the diversion and continued to New York City's LaGuardia Airport.
UNITED AIRLINES PILOT CAUGHT ON VIDEO TAKING AX TO PARKING BARRIER
An American Airlines plane lands on a runway near a parked JetBlue plane. ( Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
The FAA will investigate the incident.
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American Airlines airliners sit near a hanger at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Texas April 4, 2012. (REUTERS/Tim Sharp / Reuters Photos)
FOX Business reached out to American Airlines for comment.
Pepper spray is a banned substance to possess as a carry-on item inside planes, according to the Transportation Security Administration. However, a 4 fl. oz. container of mace or pepper spray is allowed in checked baggage — as long as there's a safety mechanism attached to prevent discharge, the TSA said.