Vegas Flight To Hawaii Diverted To LAX Over Disagreement About $15 Blanket: Authorities

LOS ANGELES, CA — A Hawaiian Airlines jetliner on a flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu was diverted to Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday after a passenger became involved in a dispute with a flight attendant over the prospect of being charged $15 for a blanket, authorities said.

The plane landed safely at LAX at about 10:20 a.m., and the 66-year-old man was interviewed by Los Angeles Airport police and FBI agents but was released without being arrested, said Los Angeles Airport police officer Rob Pedregon. His name was not released.

According to the preliminary investigation, the flight had taken off from Las Vegas when the man told a flight attendant that he was cold and he requested a blanket, Pedregon said.

That's when he was told there would be a $15 charge, and he allegedly made remarks that made flight attendants uncomfortable, Pedregon said.

The plane was then diverted to LAX, and the man got off the flight and was told he would not be allowed back onto the aircraft, which took off for Honolulu without him, Pedregon said.

-- City News Service, photo courtesy of LAWA