Shari Ann Chinnis Indianapolis Incident: What Happened at the Airport?

An incident involving an unruly passenger forced a Delta Connection flight to return to the gate at Indianapolis International Airport on Friday, leading to the arrest of one individual. According to a probable cause affidavit from the Indianapolis Airport Police Department, Shari Ann Chinnis was arrested after allegedly becoming disruptive during boarding procedures on an Endeavor Air flight operating as Delta Connection.

The situation began as the flight was preparing for departure from Indianapolis to New York’s LaGuardia Airport. As the plane was pushed back from the gate, Chinnis, who was traveling with her daughter and another woman, allegedly became argumentative when asked to stow her luggage for takeoff. A flight attendant reported to law enforcement that Chinnis was instructed to secure her bags no fewer than five times. Despite repeated requests, she allegedly refused to comply with the crew’s instructions.

The flight crew, citing safety concerns, requested that Chinnis be removed from the aircraft. The affidavit stated that Chinnis initially resisted the request and said she would only leave the plane if arrested. Law enforcement officers then boarded the aircraft, at which point Chinnis and her travel companions agreed to deplane voluntarily.

While speaking with officers, both Chinnis and her daughter reportedly became loud and argumentative. Officers issued warnings that further disruptive behavior would lead to their arrest. According to the affidavit, “Officers began escorting the three individuals off the jet bridge so Delta could reboard and continue normal operations. When arriving at the top of the jet bridge, both Chinnis and her daughter began saying they were not going anywhere without their bags. Officers attempted to get Chinnis and her daughter off the secure side of the airport. Chinnis began causing a scene by raising her voice, disturbing the peace of everyone in the gate area.”

Following the disturbance at the gate area, Chinnis was taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct in an airport. At the time of reporting, no attorney for Chinnis was listed.

Delta Air Lines issued a statement addressing the disruption. “Endeavor Air flight 4994 operating as Delta Connection from Indianapolis to New York – LaGuardia returned to the gate due to unruly passengers onboard,” a spokesperson said. “The passengers were deplaned, and the aircraft carried on safely to their final destination. We apologize to our customers for the disruption in their travel plans.”

Despite the interruption, the flight ultimately departed and arrived in New York approximately an hour and a half later than scheduled.

This incident adds to a growing list of unruly passenger reports across the country. According to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, as of April 28, there have been 649 reports of unruly passengers this year. In 2023, the agency recorded 2,075 such incidents, which marked a decrease from the 2,455 cases reported in 2022. These numbers are significantly lower compared to 2021, when reports peaked at 5,973 incidents. That year saw an unprecedented spike in disruptive behavior on flights, often attributed to tensions surrounding mask mandates and pandemic-related travel restrictions.

The FAA continues to monitor and address incidents of passenger misconduct. While federal lawmakers have debated various measures to reduce unruly passenger behavior, no specific senators or political figures were directly involved in this particular case.

Just weeks before the Indianapolis incident, another similar event occurred involving a Virgin Australia flight. In that case, a passenger was arrested after allegedly running naked through the cabin and knocking over a flight attendant. These incidents underscore the ongoing challenges faced by airline crews in managing passenger conduct during flights.

Unruly behavior on flights not only disrupts airline operations but also poses serious safety risks to passengers and crew. Airlines and federal authorities continue to emphasize the importance of following crew instructions to ensure the safety of everyone on board.

As of now, further details regarding Chinnis’ legal proceedings have not been released. The Indianapolis Airport Police Department handled the arrest and reported the incident by standard procedures for disturbances within the secure area of the airport.