Air rage — Irish style: man is held in Chicago

By Patrick Markey

A young Irish man is being held at a federal prison in Chicago after he was arrested during a fracas on an international flight from Dublin to the United States, officials said.

In the latest example of "air rage," agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations arrested 19-year-old James Connors after he allegedly assaulted a flight attendant and interfered with flight duties on an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Chicago, officials said.

Connors, who was reportedly on his way to a family event in Chicago, is being held at the federal Metropolitan Correction Center in Illinois pending a judge’s decision on his bond hearing.

According to a criminal complaint filed at the U.S. District Court in Illinois, about two and a half hours into the flight, Connors allegedly became agitated after he was told he would have to wait for his drink to be served.

Connors calmed down after talking to a cabin manager, but quickly became agitated again and threatened crew members, the complaint states. After Connors threatened to open the aircraft doors, flight attendants and passengers restrained the Irishman and placed him in handcuffs in a rear seat.

Connors was arrested without incident after the aircraft touched down at O’Hare International Airport. He was to have appeared before a judge on Tuesday for a bail hearing.