Passenger tries to open plane door during Alaska Airlines flight

SEATTLE, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- A man was arrested after attempting unsuccessfully to open an airplane door as the Alaska Airlines plane flew from New York to Seattle.

The passenger became unruly and "attempted to access one of the doors in the rear of the aircraft," a Boeing 737-900ER, Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Halley Knigge said. After attempting to calm the unidentified man, the flight crew diverted the plane and landed it in Minneapolis, where "the disruptive customer was removed by law enforcement," Knigge added. She noted that, due to the difference in atmospheric pressure inside and outside the plane, opening the door would have been impossible.

Alaska Airlines Flight 7 left New York at 7:15 a.m. Eastern time Monday, arrived in Minneapolis at 9:45 a.m. Central time, and departed for Seattle with 180 passengers aboard at 11:08 a.m. It landed in Seattle around 1 p.m. Pacific time.