Frontier Flight Diverts to Miami After Passenger Attacks Off‑Duty Attendant

On the evening of June 2, 2026, a Frontier Airlines flight (flight 3345) leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico, was on a routine 2,400‑mile run to Chicago O’Hare. Midway through the flight the aircraft entered the mid‑air turbulence zone and the pilot crew noticed a passenger on the lower deck who was acting unusually.

According to authorities, the passenger, 51‑year‑old Juan Gabriel Reyes, attempted to open an emergency exit door that failed to display the required force rating. When a flight attendant stopped him, he moved toward the front of the cabin and tried to force his way into the cockpit by shoving at the pilot’s door. While the crew was restraining him, an off‑duty Frontier flight attendant who had been transported for the flight volunteering to seat in Reyes’ row was ambushed. The suspect reportedly grabbed the attendant’s head and choked him until other passengers intervened and applied flex cuffs and seatbelt extenders.

The incident prompted the pilot to divert the aircraft to Miami International Airport, where it landed safely at 11:55 p.m. Once safely on the ground, Reyes was taken into custody by the Miami‑Dade Sheriff’s Office and later turned over to federal investigators. He faces charges of interference with flight crew members and assault under federal and territorial law.

The FAA announced that after the incident the flight completed its segment to Chicago with no further disturbances. The incident has added to a growing trend of unruly passengers this year and has revived discussions on the safety protocols for emergency exits and cockpit security on commercial aviation.

Frontier Airlines released a statement confirming the passenger’s arrest and the continuation of the journey to Chicago a few hours later. The airline maintained that all crew and passengers had been kept safe throughout the diversion and subsequent flight.