How she got through security with it is our first question.
A female passenger with a can of pepper spray had it accidentally discharge on a recent American Airlines flight from Miami to New York, causing it to be diverted to Jacksonville, Florida.
A fellow passenger made the claim on Reddit. After the flight eventually arrived in New York, all that American Airlines would say was that “there was a disruptive incident involving a customer.”
“It was incredibly scary not being able to breathe, having burning skin/eyes, having everyone panicking around, and being stuck in a small space," another passenger wrote on Reddit.
The female passenger apparently said that the pepper spray was discharged accidentally, but it still begs the question of how she got it on board in the first place. After an investigation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) did say that the bottle was sprayed inadvertently.
“The aircraft was cleaned after diverting and continued to LaGuardia Airport in New York without further incident," the FAA wrote in a statement.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does allow pepper spray, but only in checked baggage and only if it has a security mechanism that prevents accidental discharge. The policy varies by airline.
American Airlines, by its own admission and guidelines, does not allow pepper spray on board.
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