Incident on Flight to Chicago

During a flight to Chicago, a passenger named Josh Longard intervened to restrain another traveler who was attempting to open an emergency exit door.

It’s worth noting that Longard is a former mixed martial artist.

The incident unfolded on May 31, as Longard was returning from Puerto Rico after attending his brother’s bachelor party. A man on the Frontier Airlines flight allegedly assaulted a flight attendant and tried to open the emergency exit door.

At 37 years old, Longard recounted that he restrained the unruly passenger for about ten minutes after the man initially broke free. He managed to re-establish control over the situation for another 20 to 30 minutes until the plane made an emergency landing in Miami.

Longard mentioned that he is a light sleeper and felt fortunate to be sitting relatively close to the chaos.

On social media, he expressed relief that everyone returned home safely, and he mused that he hoped his next flight would be “a lot less boring.” Longard speculated that some passengers might have been drinking, which contributed to the erratic behavior.

Longard, a skilled Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, currently works as a medical equipment salesman.

“He was just talking and acting erratically,” Longard said. “I noticed he wasn’t calm, and I kept a close eye on him because there were women and young children around.”

The man had attacked a flight attendant while she was trying to address the situation.

“I reacted immediately and ensured he was in a secure position where no one could get hurt,” Longard remarked. “I was thankful to be nearby and to resolve things without injuries. My Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training helped me stay composed.”

If faced with a similar situation again, Longard stated he would definitely act in the same way. “I trust my training and skills to handle real-life challenges,” he concluded.