Alaska Airlines passenger assaults crew members mid-flight, forces diversion

A passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was arrested Oct. 14 for physically assaulting two flight attendants. Her “erratic behavior” forced an emergency landing in Idaho at Boise Airport, according to the Boise Police Department (BPD).

The passenger has been identified by authorities as Tracy Barkhimer, 61, from White Salmon, Washington. Barkhimer was onboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1057, which departed from Portland International Airport on-time at 11:26 p.m., according to FlightAware.

The flight was about an hour into its journey to Dallas when it diverted “following a security incident where a passenger physically assaulted two of our flight attendants,” a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines told USA TODAY in a statement.

According to Boise police, Barkhimer “was showing erratic behavior and struck two airline employees who were attempting to calm her down.” She was restrained and the flight landed at Boise Airport at around 1:30 a.m., where Boise Police officers in the Airport Division and medics waited at the gate.

The two crew members requested and signed affidavits for citizen’s arrest, police said. Barkhimer was removed from the plane without incident, taken into custody and booked into the Ada County Jail on two counts of misdemeanor battery. Barkhimer posted her $600 cash bond and is scheduled to appear in court in early November.

The crew was cleared to fly following a medical evaluation, and, after about 90 minutes, the aircraft continued its journey to Dallas, according to the carrier.

“At Alaska Airlines, safety is our number one priority, and we do not tolerate violence of any kind against our employees,” the carrier said in a statement. “The passenger in question has been banned from flying with us. We are grateful to our crew for their professionalism, and we apologize for any concern or inconvenience this situation caused.”

As of Sept. 28, there have been 1,205 reports of unruly passengers in 2025, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. These passengers can face up to $43,658 in fines per violation.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alaska Airlines passenger hits two crew members, forces diversion