Passengers’ fight leads to diversion of Las Vegas flight

NEW ORLEANS - A Southwest Airlines flight en route to Las Vegas made an unscheduled stop Thursday at New Orleans' international airport after an unruly passenger got in a fight with another passenger.

Special Agent Kyle Hanrahan, an FBI spokesman, said the plane had departed from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

He said it landed in New Orleans about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, and 32-year-old Fafane Daniel was arrested on charges of interfering with a flight crew and assault on a passenger.

Southwest spokeswoman Ashley Dillon said it's unclear what sparked the fight, which caused the 30-minute flight interruption. The flight continued after Daniel was escorted off the plane.

Hanrahan said Daniel was scheduled to appear before a federal magistrate later Thursday. He did not know the hearing's outcome.