Woman Goes Ballistic After Airline Seat Charger Fails, Forces Emergency Landing

Image: American Airlines flight.(photo via Michael Valdez/iStock Unreleased)
Image: American Airlines flight.(photo via Michael Valdez/iStock Unreleased)
Rich Thomaselli
by Rich Thomaselli
Last updated: 12:10 PM ET, Sun May 23, 2021

Yet another incident of an unruly passenger.

A female flier, apparently irate because the phone charger at her airline seat failed to work, caused such a disruption that the captain was forced to make an emergency landing.

The American Airlines flight from Tokyo to Dallas Fort Worth was placed into "Level Three Lockdown" and diverted to Seattle Tacoma Airport after the woman allegedly assaulted a flight attendant and banged on the flight deck door.

This was all because her cell phone would not charge via the outlet at her seat, according to the aviation blog Paddle Your Own Kanoo.

The incident happened on Wednesday, May 19. Waka Suzuki, a Japanese citizen, was connecting through Dallas with her mother en route to Cancun, Mexico where the pair planned to vacation for 10-days.

But in scouring court documents, the blog revealed that Suzuki went ballistic when flight attendants could not figure out why the phone charger at her seat stopped working about four hours into the 11-hour flight.

Suzuki shouted at the flight attendants and became "increasingly hostile and belligerent" toward crew members. At one point she ran up the aisle from her economy seat, pushed a crew member aside and began banging on the cockpit door seeking help in resolving the phone charger issue.

She was eventually restrained with plastic handcuffs, and the pilot diverted the plane to Seattle, where it landed without further disruption.

Suzuki is accused of knowingly and intentionally interfering with flight crew members. The FBI is investigating.


For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore

More From TravelPulse

Rich Thomaselli

Rich Thomaselli

Associate Writer

Editor Associate Writer true 9281 14744 Rich Thomaselli has written for TravelPulse since 2014 and has been a professional journalist for nearly 40 years. His work has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times and New York Yankees publications. He is an 11-time writ

Grow Your Travel Business With Certified Courses

Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Majestic Resorts Specialist ProgramDiscover all-inclusive luxury at Majestic Resorts in paradise.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Los Cabos Specialist ProgramSell the magic of Los Cabos: luxury, adventure, and endless sunshine.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Allianz Specialist ProgramProtect every journey with Allianz Partners Travel Insurance.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Majestic Resorts Specialist ProgramDiscover all-inclusive luxury at Majestic Resorts in paradise.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Los Cabos Specialist ProgramSell the magic of Los Cabos: luxury, adventure, and endless sunshine.
Travel Agent Academy
Travel Agent Academy
Allianz Specialist ProgramProtect every journey with Allianz Partners Travel Insurance.

Don't Miss These Travel Agent Events and Trainings

Upcoming Webinar
Every Island Tells a Story: Part 2 – Selling the Caribbean Through Immersive ExperiencesWednesday, August 19, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Continue the journey in the second installment of our Every Island Tells a Story webinar series. This...
Upcoming Webinar
The Art of Destination Recommendation: Alternative Destination Strategies for Travel AdvisorsTuesday, August 18, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
What if your next best sale is a destination your client hasn’t considered—and you’ve never visited?...
Upcoming Webinar
From Interest to Booking: Selling HANKYU × PONANT Japan CruisesFriday, August 21, 2026
4:00pm Eastern
Take the next step in selling HANKYU × PONANT Japan cruises with a practical, advisor focused look at...
Upcoming Webinar
Every Island Tells a Story: Part 2 – Selling the Caribbean Through Immersive ExperiencesWednesday, August 19, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
Continue the journey in the second installment of our Every Island Tells a Story webinar series. This...
Upcoming Webinar
The Art of Destination Recommendation: Alternative Destination Strategies for Travel AdvisorsTuesday, August 18, 2026
2:00pm Eastern
What if your next best sale is a destination your client hasn’t considered—and you’ve never visited?...
Upcoming Webinar
From Interest to Booking: Selling HANKYU × PONANT Japan CruisesFriday, August 21, 2026
4:00pm Eastern
Take the next step in selling HANKYU × PONANT Japan cruises with a practical, advisor focused look at...