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Flight took off with disruptive passenger despite red flags

FILE- In this file photo provided by Donna Basden, a man is escorted off an American Airlines flight after it landed in Honolulu, Friday, May 19, 2017. Court records say the man who caused a disturbance on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu had no luggage other than a laptop and needed a wheelchair to board the plane because he appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.(Donna Basden via AP, File) FILE- In this file photo provided by Donna Basden, a man is escorted off an American Airlines flight after it landed in Honolulu, Friday, May 19, 2017. Court records say the man who caused a disturbance on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu had no luggage other than a laptop and needed a wheelchair to board the plane because he appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.(Donna Basden via AP, File)

By Associated Press May 23, 2017 1 min read

HONOLULU (AP) – Despite raising possible red flags at Los Angeles International Airport, a man cited by airport police and traveling without any luggage or carry-on bags was allowed to board a flight to Hawaii.

Hours before the flight, airport police cited him after he opened a door that led to an airfield ramp.

While midair, 25-year-old Anil Uskanli was blocked from trying to access the front of the plane. According to a criminal complaint, flight attendants feared his laptop contained explosives, so fighter jets were scrambled to escort the plane to Honolulu.

He is charged with interfering with a flight crew.

A federal magistrate judge in Honolulu on Monday ordered Uskanli to undergo a competency evaluation on the U.S. mainland.

Federal Public Defender Peter Wolff says he requested the exam partly because of actions described in the complaint.