Southwest plane diverted over unwanted game of 'footsie'

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Southwest plane diverted over unwanted game of 'footsie'
A Southwest plane was diverted to Albuquerque and a man was arrested.

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- A Southwest flight made an emergency landing over an unwanted game of 'footsie.'

Police arrested a 29-year-old man who kept inching closer towards his seat mate and rubbing her leg with his foot.

A flight attendant allowed the unwilling footsie participant to switch seats - but the man followed her to her new seat.

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The pilot decided to divert the plane to land in Albuquerque when the man began to verbally harass the woman and a flight attendant.

Once the man was removed, the flight continued on to Dallas, Southwest said.

The man is now facing charges including simple assault and interfering and intimidating members of a flight crew and flight attendants while on an aircraft.