Florida flight diverted after woman fakes medical emergency

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A woman demanding a larger seat on an American Airlines flight was taken into custody after faking a medical condition that prompted the pilot to head back to a Florida airport.

Flight crews summoned authorities once the Miami-bound flight arrived back in Pensacola early Friday morning.

A Pensacola police spokesman says the plane was evacuated when the woman refused to deplane. Authorities and the plane’s pilot eventually succeeded in removing the woman. Police say she was taken into custody under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows authorities to hold a person who could pose a threat to themselves or others.

The flight turned around shortly after takeoff, and there were no injuries. The carrier’s website says the flight resumed its journey to Miami at about 7:30 a.m.