Disruptive passenger forces American Airlines flight back to New York

NEW YORK — An American Airlines flight returned to John F. Kennedy Airport shortly after takeoff due to a disruptive passenger experiencing a possible medical issue.

Airline spokesman Kent Powell said American Airlines Flight 83 bound for Los Angeles had taken off from New York about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when a passenger became disruptive and was not following instructions.

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Powell said the passenger didn’t hurt anyone, but the crew decided the best course of action was to return to the New York. The Airbus A321 carrying 97 passengers and a crew of eight landed at JFK Airport about 45 minutes later.

Powell said the passenger was taken off the plane to be evaluated.

The flight was refueled and rescheduled for departure.