Passenger removed from flight for ‘suicide threat’
A passenger was removed from a Virgin flight after a seatmate alerted flight crew to a potential suicide threat.
Passenger Vicki Riffe noticed a man scribbling furiously into a notebook that he planned to kill himself and take others with him.
"He started writing extremely fast — with anger. I was scared to death," Riffe told the NY Daily News.
After alerting crew, the plane returned to the gate and the man was removed by police.
Sniffer dogs were also deployed in the cabin before it was given the all-clear to fly.
Virgin America confirmed the incident with a statement: "Just after taxi out, a Virgin America flight carrying 108 guests returned to the gate [at San Francisco] due to onboard reports from guests concerned about the behavior of a fellow passenger.
"Preliminary reports indicate that the guest made no threat to the safety of the aircraft or any other passenger onboard."
After fellow passengers were fully informed of the nature of the hold-up, about a dozen opted not to travel.
The plane then took off about one hour behind schedule and landed in Austin, Texas without incident.
San Francisco police said the man is being medically evaluated.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements